The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day are about to cross the billion dollar mark at the box office. With that, there are now a total of 66 movies to have made it into the one billion dollar club. Regardless if inflation or re-releases also helps with that (which they both do), a movie has made a total of over seven bills at least 66 times throughout cinema history. Because of that, I decided to go ahead and do a ranking of every single one of these since I’ve actually seen all of these movies at least one time.
This will make for a rather complicated list, even more so than other lists I make on here. This will be a fine mix between what I believe is the best movie from an objective standpoint, what I believe is the best from a subjective standpoint, and the impact each one has had on pop culture for better and worse. I’ve thought about this for quite awhile now so it’s time for me to rank them.
If you disagree with this list, then by all means disagree but please don’t be a jerk about it. We have enough of those on the internet. I really don’t take much pride in these lists and rankings other than to have some fun. Opinions change everyday and this ranking is just how I feel at the exact moment that I’m publishing this list.
Also, since it’s going to be 66 movies, I’m not gonna go into detail on any one of those and just show the number I have ranked for each movie. I’ll just say which movie is ranked where and show off a trailer for it because why not? I might even update the list once another movie comes around that makes a billion dollars and see how much of my opinion on this list has changed since then.
Let’s not waste anymore time and get right down to it.
*Warning! This article contains MAJOR spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day! If you haven’t seen the movie yet and/or don’t want anything spoiled, then you might want to click off the article right now! You have been warned!*
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has hit theaters everywhere and it’s expected to make money and a LOT of it, far surpassing initial box office projections and expecting to earn an bat*hit insane $900+ Million worldwide in it’s opening weekend ALONE! If those projected stats hold, that will make it the biggest opening weekend of the year, the biggest opening weekend of the decade, and the second biggest opening weekend of all time, only surpassed by Avengers: Endgame‘s $1.2+ Billion opening weekend in 2019. With what was looking like a very underwhelming summer movie season outside the animated movie involving toys taking on iPad screens, the 20 year-long sequel that could’ve just been a zoom call, and original horror flicks with a beer money level budget, Brand New Day and The Odyssey was able to get the summer box office the kick in the pants it DESPERATELY needed before the kids go back to school! Movies really are coming back, baby! I guess all it took was putting Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jon Bernthal in more things!
Even taking in Spidey’s insane popularity among worldwide audience, the fact that Brand New Day was able to make THIS level of money without needing the likes of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire to drive audiences to the theaters is a special kind of impressive. Yes, I know the buzz killers out there will bring up inflation and the ACTUAL number of ticket prices but come on, regardless if this movie came out in 2026 or 2006, this is still an INCREDIBLY impressive opening weekend.
The main question is how did they do it? How did this movie have such mass appeal among fans and moviegoers? What is it about this particular movie that it was able to tip over the edge of not just potentially making more than the No Way Home but nearly guarantee to join the rare two billion dollar club with the likes of Avatar, Titanic, and Avengers: Endgame?!?!
Many will say it has to do with the movie delivering the exact kind of Spider-Man adventure that everyone was wanting after No Way Home! After going from a big bombastic multiverse style adventure which paid off the loose ends of not just Tom Holland’s own respective trilogy but also the likes of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, following that up four and a half years later with a smaller-scale, street level film that’s just about Peter Parker going through his personal needs as Spider-Man along with a couple of MCU friends along for the ride just felt like the perfect route to take! Credit should be fully given to Mr. Holland for that, who has claimed that he scour the internet after No Way Home to deliver the exact kind of Spider-Man film that the fans wanted.
But I think it also had to do with the right amount of twists and turns and surprises that are to be found here, all which work as not just fun fan service and crowd pleasing moments but also plays actual, legit importance of a role to the film’s overall themes and messages. You have the Punisher, the Incredible Hulk, and even Yelena, A.K.A. the new Black Widow, that are present and accounted for here. And of course, you also have the one mysterious character in the movie, played by Sadie Sink, who also just so happens to be *SPOILER ALERT* Jean Grey!
That’s right! After all that bizarre “mystery box” build-up in the marketing/PR press talk from Sony and Marvel, the worst kept secret in a mainstream movie since “Benedict Cumberbatch is totally NOT Khan!” from 2013’s Star Trek: Into Darkness and the worst kept secret in the superhero python since “Jason Todd is totally NOT the Arkham Knight!” from 2015’s Batman: Arkham Knight is pretty much exactly what everyone thought it was going to be. Sadie Sink is now Jean Grey, the well-known red haired mutant from the X-Men, who is almost certain going to be playing a huge role in the MCU moving forward as Marvel Studios begins to re-introduce the X-Men and will probably make an appearance in at least one of the upcoming Avengers movies, Doomsday and/or Secret Wars.
To be fair, if you consider the context of the film, you can understand why Sony and Marvel were so eager to keep Sadie Sink’s character a secret. Having an antagonist involve someone that has the powers to telepath, telekinesis, and possess themselves into someone’s else body no matter who it is does make for an intriguing mystery for our main character. Even if the audience member themselves can see it the reveal coming from a mile away as to who the character herself is, seeing how Peter discovers the identity of this new character does help see his character progress throughout the course of the film.
At the beginning, you see a Peter Parker who now believes that Peter Parker himself doesn’t matter anymore, only Spider-Man does. After Doctor Strange cast the spell that made everyone forget who he is and losing Aunt May, Peter only sees value in himself as Spider-Man, not as Peter Parker. As a result, he has kept himself in an incredibly sheltered life, making zero contact with any old friends and not even attempting to chase any potential life changing college degree. He’s only committed himself to be a full-time Spider-Man, being able to accomplish many tasks through his tenure as a “prime” web swinger, teaming up with NYPD detective Jean DeWolff, to take on the big known crooks in the city he’s sworn to protect. To put it simply, he has nothing left…..except Spider-Man.
However, this mindset starts to change once Peter comes in contract with not just his two best friends in MJ and Ned but also with Jean Grey. Much like Peter, Jean is also out on her own in the world, invading custody from Department of Damage Control (DODC) after they abducted her sister Sara. Instead of following the traditional comic book origin story with Jean unlocking special powers within herself after being involved in a car accident, she developed her powers alongside her sister, based on their mutant physiology rather than by a special radiation or serum.
Throughout the course of the film, Jean is using mind games on Peter, who tries to help the DODC to subdue her before she becomes a very serious threat to New York City. She dares to hope mind herself into those that are close to Peter, most notably MJ, where she is not only the first person to discover post-spell that Peter Parker is Spider-Man but that she is willing to use that knowledge to go after the people he loves and manipulate them.
It’s only after a long game of cat-and-mouse and a very entertaining fight sequence with the Incredible Hulk that we haven’t seen on screen in nearly a decade where Peter is finally able to subdue Jean and turn her in. Before losing consciousness, Jean mentions someone by the named Sara, who she has been aiming to find since she got taken by the DODC. Although the head of DODC, Bill Metgzer, claims that Sara was a recently deceased colleague Jean learned about while possessing his mind, we later find out that is a load of bollocks and that Sara is actually referring to Jean’s sister. And the one message that she was given in her head to remember her sister, is that of V-Max.
After we see Jean being interrogated by Metgzer at the DODC, we see that V-Max fading text appear once again. However, that text doesn’t actually represent where Sara is but what her last fading memory was before she died. Yep, the exact kind of interragtion that Jean herself is being through is the one that killed her sister!
Much like how Peter react after the Green Goblin killed Aunt May, Jean has gone full unhinged, wanted to tear apart Metgzer lime from lime. And much like with Peter in the film, the unlocked rage and trauma unlocks even stronger abilities in Jean, including more powerful telekinesis and a large-scaled psychic “bubble” effect that can freeze people’s minds across a wide variety of area, which in the film results in good chunk of NYC. Despite Sara being killed by the same experiments that the DODC is using on Jean, she can now those same experiments to return the favor to Metgzer.
As I mention in my review, this was the moment where the film become CLOSE to losing me. While Jean’s origin story is indeed tragic and makes her character sympathetic, this did NOT feel like the right place or film to introduce her character to. With a near 10 minute long stretch where we don’t even see Spider-Man, this is where the film felt like it was going to completely fall apart, proving the naysayers right that this film is just an advertisement for the MCU’s X-Men and nothing more. However, things take a different turn once we cut back to Peter here.
I should mention that throughout the film, Peter is the one person who is strong enough to resist Jean’s powers to enter his mind. Whether it’s because of Peter’s newly gained abilities or his strong “will”, he’s still himself when he comes in contact with Jean. But that confrontation is put to the test towards the climax, which see Peter making his way toward the DODC to stop Jean but has to come against a large group of ninjas, A.K.A. the Hand, in order to get to her. It’s at this moment where not only the film regains it’s footing but also ties everything together beautifully, proving that this is indeed Spider-Man’s movie first and everyone else’s second.
Throughout the whole film, we see Peter struggling to return to his former self as Peter Parker and not just as Spider-Man. The inhibitor that he gain from Bruce Banner has been keeping his new powers and his own mental state in check…..until this very moment. As the Hand starts to overwhelm to the point where he’s coughing up blood and Jean is on the verge of just not killing the man who murdered her sister but also getting fully inside Peter’s head, she proceeds to ask our hero one distinct question that perfectly describes the theme of the movie in a nutshell:
“Are you Peter Parker or are you Spider-Man?”
Peter willingly replies: “I’m both!”
It’s at that moment that Peter finally lets go, accepts his new abilities, and defeats the hand to get to Jean Grey. Not just because he’s Spider-Man but he’s also Peter Parker. He’s able to have full control of himself and NOT let what he has suffered throughout the course of the film get to him. This is Peter regaining his duology once again!
After resisting all movie long, Peter finally lets Jean into his mind, where she finds an old memory of Aunt May on the day that she discovers that he is Spider-Man. It’s a brilliant scene that shows May accepting her nephew for who he is and loved him for himself. Regardless if Peter is Spider-Man or not, Aunt May will always love her nephew. It’s with this moment that Jean understands what it’s like to experience loss, realizing she is not alone and discovers once again what it’s like to connect with someone.
But then, Frank Castle tries to take a shot a Jean Grey from outside but ends up getting Peter in the process, sustaining him with a near-fatal wound that has him on the near death bed. Jean is able to use her powers to help keep Peter alive, refusing to lose him just like she lost her sister. In the aftermath, Jean that has been consumed with guilt leaves the city on her own, the DODC is under investigation from the NYCP along with the disappearance of Metzer, and with the citizens of NYC right by his side, Peter realizes that he doesn’t need to be alone to be Spider-Man, he can be Peter Parker as well.
The final sequences contains Peter visiting his Aunt May’s grave once again to bring their arc to a full circle, a last-minute added scene with Peter reconnecting with Ned and doing their classic handshake together, giving Ned a hint that he might remember who Peter is, and a rather bizarre post credit scene where the spider tracker is tracking Spider-Man off of planet Earth, potentially hinting at Spider-Man’s role in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars.
On paper, Spider-Man: Brand New Day seems like an act of desperation. With the Marvel Cinematic Universe far pass it’s hay days, you would think a Spider-Man movie that feels the need to shoehorn in a bunch of fan favorite Marvel characters such as the Punisher, Hulk, Yelena, and having to introduce Jean Grey to get folks excited for the X-Men coming would be as cynical and cash-grabbing as it gets. But, even when you argue their placement in terms of plot isn’t entirely necessary, they still connect well to Peter Parker and the film’s overall thematic arcs.
The Punisher serves to help Peter’s isolation with an isolation of his own, the Hulk serves to help Peter fight the inner demons that’s inside of him, MJ & Ned are there to show that Peter isn’t the only ones who feel like something is missing in their lives, Yelena is there because she also feels lonely and needs connection with someone else. And of course Jean Grey is there to serve as a mirror to Peter’s arc, as both “special” beings who have lost loved ones and are conflicted on how to handle the “special” powers within themselves.
I was worried when I heard that all these characters are going to be in it but this is perhaps the most natural uses of fan favorite characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Much like Andrew and Tobey in No Way Home, their presences only serve to GROW Tom’s Spider-Man and not shrink him in any way. The movie remembers to put Tom’s Spider-Man front and center. And even when there comes moments where it SEEMS like it is losing track of it’s lead protagonist, those moments always ends up coming right back to him when it is needed.
It might’ve took four films but Brand New Day feels like Tom Holland finally being able to carry the Spider-Man mantle on his own two feet with no assistance from the previous versions required. Even with the returning Marvel characters that are here and the newly introduced one that will certainly come back in other Marvel movies later on down the road, it doesn’t take away the fact that Tom Holland has now become his own definite Spider-Man, providing a different kind of special sauce that neither Andrew Garfield or Tobey Maguire had in their versions. I don’t mean this to downplay the previous Spider-Men but more to WELCOME them to the library as well.
I’m so happy Tom Holland fought for so long and hard to make Brand New Day the best Spider-Man movie he could possibly make. He no longer needs the training wheels, he can now push the lovely bike down the road and never look back! Go Spidey go!
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now out in theaters! Because of that, let’s celebrate the release of another awesome Spidey flick by ranking all ten we have gotten thus far from worst to best.
Spider-Man has always been a very important character to me. While I might need to do a brain check on it, he might possibly be my favorite character in all of fiction. Spider-Man is everything we inspire to be. It’s a character that is flawed, relatable, passionate, and absolutely heroic in ways that I wish I can be as a person. When the movies get this character right, it means something special to me. When the movies get this character wrong, then it’s certainly not special.
A friendly reminder that this is all opinions and I know for a fact that Spider-Man has an actively passionate fanbase where each movie incarnation of the character has their own fans and haters. If you have been on the internet at least since the release of The Amazing Spider-Man back in 2012, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ll respect all of your opinions just as long as you respect mine.
Anyways, let’s not waste anymore and get straight into the list.
11.) The Amazing Spider-Man
Whenever people complain about unnecessary reboots and the feeling of superhero movie fatigue, The Amazing Spider-Man is exactly the kind of movie they are referring to. This is the kind of movie where it’s difficult to separate the business side and artistic side of things because it’s bluntly obvious on the screen that this movie’s existence was more important to fit the criteria of the former than the latter. Being pitched as a darker reboot with more focus on high school drama and romance, The Amazing Spider-Man lacks the energy and excitement that made Sam Raimi’s trilogy (Yes, including the third one!) a success along with just being a dull slog in it’s own right.
Too many plot beats are stolen straight from the 2002 film, plot points are constantly brought up, drop completely, and never mentioned again, Peter Parker is much more unbearable than ever here, the Lizard is a complete waste of a villain, and there is so many coincidences that is pushing the story forward that it’s downright insulting to the human brain. And that’s not even going to the trailers spoiling everything, the piss-poor editing, Spidey’s suit looking like a basketball, Uncle Ben’s hilariously awful death, or painting Peter Parker as Mr. Perfect who can do wrong!
Yes, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are cute together and the score by James Horner is good stuff, but The Amazing Spider-Man is a movie that falls apart when you so much as breathe on it. Despite the film claiming to be about identity, it never finds an identity for it’s own main character. It’s a movie so bad that even the good things aren’t worth mentioning because nothing meaningful is done with any of that. Just an absolute waste of time!
10.) The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Hot take alert but I actually found The Amazing Spider-Man 2 to be an improvement over the first one. Despite being the most critically panned Spider-Man movie to date, there are a handful of elements that make the sequel to the ill-fated reboot slightly more bearable. At least the web swinging scenes are at their best here, Spidey looks awesome in action, and arguably has some of the best little Spider-Man moments in any of the movies (the scene where Peter walks the kid home always puts a smile on my face). Heck, even the awful parts of the movie at least lean on “so bad it’s funny” (the scene with Electro and the cartoonish doctor gets me every time) that it’s hard to not be unintentionally entertained by them when they happened. That being said, this movie is still a big, hot mess.
This is where you can tell that Marc Webb and Sony had literally no idea where they were going with these movies. It’s a movie that lacks a straight-forwarded plot, consistent direction, or a compelling reason has to why you should care about anything happening. The movies tries hard to lean in on fan service, most notably the one iconic scene from the comics, but none of it is put to good use or service the characters and their stories in any meaningful way. That’s not even going into everything that was cut out of the movie such as a subplot with Mary Jane played by Shailene Woodley, a post credit scene with Norman Osborn’s frozen head coming alive, and even Peter’s dad coming back from the dead and talking to him about great power coming with great responsibility because of course. And when you get to the end which changes the status quo for Peter only to pull a switch-a-roo and have things go back to where they were before, it makes you wonder what the point to either one of these Amazing movies were other than for Sony to keep the rights for Spider-Man away from Marvel.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 might be more entertaining than the first one and feels more like an actual Spider-Man movie this time around but as it’s own thing, it’s quite simply a mess. A mess so big that it led to Sony pleading with Marvel to get the character into the MCU to keep him relevant. I guess that’s something.
9.) Spider-Man: Far From Home
On one hand, this sequel does have more focus on Peter Parker and his personal relationships and dilemmas than Homecoming along with some incredibly inventive action sequences (That Mysterio illusion scene is masterfully done!). On the other hand, there is still way too much Iron Man tech here (Especially with his literal killer glasses) and it’s ridiculous how we have ANOTHER Spider-Man villain that’s trying to get revenge on Tony Stark (despite the fact he’s actually dead now) instead of Spider-Man himself. Also, having a Spider-Man movie that takes place 95% outside of NYC or the multiverse just doesn’t gel well with the other.
It doesn’t come close to being the very best of Spider-Man’s adventures, especially at the time with Into the Spider-Verse and Marvel’s Spider-Man, or top-tier MCU as a whole but acting as a plate cleanser for Avengers: Endgame and an epilogue for the Infinity Saga, Far From Home is passable but the best still have yet to come for the MCU version of Spider-Man.
It was at this point where the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man still didn’t stand out with the likes of the Raimiverse, Insomniac’s Spider-Man, and Into the Spider-Verse but this was still a step in the right direction and did leave for an interesting route for the next movie to go in. Far From Home was far from the best but also far from the worst either. Now, please stop talking about it, Twitter!
8.) Spider-Man: Homecoming
At long last, Spidey made it home to Marvel in his first stand alone feature in 2017 with Spider-Man: Homecoming. After making a stellar first impression with his extended cameo in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland would get a chance to shine on his own. Looking at it as it’s own thing, Homecoming is serviceable and enjoyable in it’s own right. As a Spider-Man flick, however, I can’t help but find it underwhelming.
Tom Holland continues to be great casting as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Michael Keaton’s Vulture is one of the best baddies in the entire MCU, and the high school elements were relatable to anyone that remember the awkward stages of that in their lives as an angsty teenager. That being said, too much of the movie feels restrained, like the filmmakers were too afraid of this movie being compared to the other Spider-Man movies that they played it as safe as possible. There are changes that feel unnecessary (Why does Betty Brant feel like Gwen Stacy, Ned feel like Ganke, and Mary Jane is now “Michelle Jones?”), elements that are removed (Uncle Ben’s importance), and elements that are added (Spider-Man being Iron Man Jr.) which makes it quite a middling Spider-Man experience.
I don’t know if it had to do with Sony and Marvel needing to rush out a movie completely in order to ride on the revival bandwagon for Spider-Man after Civil War but Homecoming as a whole feels way too wrapped up in that aftermath along with feeling too restrained as it’s own thing to stand out as being a truly great Spider-Man adventure. However, considering we now know the direction these movies would end up going after the third movie, maybe it all felt like a necessary evil in hindsight.
7.) Spider-Man 3
You could definitely make a strong argument that the previous two movies I’ve mentioned are objectively better movies or at least have less flaws attached to it but I still argue that this one has more entertaining value and the goods of it stand out better than the goods in either one of the first two MCU movies. Spider-Man 3 has more flaws than it does characters and subplots but it has more heart to it than most are willing to believe.
As everyone and their mother has pointed out about this movie, there’s just too much going on it. Not necessarily because there are multiple villains and side stories attached to it but because none of them really connected with one another. It feels the need to cram in every single idea it can think off that it has to defy logic, have previous events being retcon, and letting it’s characters do uncharacteristic things to make it all happen. However, most of the thing that worked well with the first two movies such as the wonderful action, breakneck pacing, great music, resonate themes, and heard hitting emotional beats work very well. Even when acknowledging all the faults at play here, you would be lying if you said that this was a boring movie with no entertainment value.
Even so, Spider-Man 3 still remains one of the biggest tragedies in all of superhero movies. It was a result of too many cooks in the kitchen and trying to please everyone at once. If it all worked out, this could have been just as good if not better than the first movies. That being said, when watching Spider-Man 3 back-to-back with the first two movies, it does make for a rather satisfying experience. It’s no where near the abomination that people claimed it was back in 2007 but it was still no where near as good as it could have been.
6.) Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Brand New Day is the first MCU Spider-Man film that is unafraid in giving us the Spider-Man doing his friendly neighborhood duty of protecting the city he’s sworn to protect and doing what’s best for those that he loves. Yes, we get to see Spider-Man at his absolute HIGH points as being the answer to The Big Apple. Yes, we get to see Spider-Man interacting with plenty of faces old and new in this cinematic universe in ways that feel organic, natural, and welcoming every time they are screen. Yes, the action scenes and web swinging sequences are cranked up to 11 in ways that hasn’t been done before in live-action, including a very impressive comic run-like scroll in the film’s opening 20 minutes.
But what makes Brand New Day stand out as well as it does is the overall arc that Peter Parker goes through, with the themes of loneliness, isolation, and the need for reconnecting with others blended together beautifully. There are characters that I would’ve like to have seen more of and there’s one resolution towards the end that does feel like a complete copout but any potential narrative shortcoming here is completely washed away with the film’s overall sense of wonder and awareness.
Brand New Day is that rare fourth installment in a franchise that not only works strongly in it’s own right but is able to greatly justify it’s own existence with no financial apology needed whatsoever. It’s able to act well as being a proper follow-up to the last movie while also setting things up for what could be a even more promising second trilogy with a more “proper” Spider-Man this time around. It might’ve taken a film of Tom Holland being sad and lonely to give this genre the potential two billion dollar booster shot it needed but hey, there’s no superhero that does it quite like Spider-Man.
5.) Spider-Man: No Way Home
Now, that’s more like it! This was basically the Spider-Man movie that I have been waiting for since he made his way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe! It offers Tom Holland in his absolute best turn as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, giving the character more depth and intrigue than he did in his previous two solo movies, finally utilizing the potential of this version of Spider-Man that had previously shown glimpses of it in his extended cameo in Captain America: Civil War and his side roles in the last two Avengers movies. Unlike Homecoming and Far From Home before it, No Way Home finally gave you an indication as to what this Spider-Man actually IS rather than what he is NOT!
Taking a page from Into the Spider–Verse, No Way Home brings different versions of Spider-Man and his villains together while showcasing just why being Spider-Man is so hard yet is someone that Peter Parker still has to be. And just like with Spider-Verse, it never loses focus on the main Spider-Man that the movie is centered upon. Unlike certain other movies that go overboard with it’s fan service and nostalgia, this does a good job of making it sincere and not too pandering as well as examine some interesting themes of not just about being Spider-Man but also about how being Spider-Man in this universe is quite different from being Spider-Man in another universe.
It’s in no way perfect but No Way Home is certainly a satisfying Spidey experience without a doubt. The big thing though about it all is not just how far Tom Holland has come and matured as this version of Peter Parker but how far director Jon Watts himself has come and matured as a filmmaker! Bring on the next one!
4.) Spider-Man (2002)
The one movie that kick started the modern era of comic book movies and was also the one movie that got me along with plenty of kids of my generation into Spider-Man. This was the first ever superhero movie I’ve ever watch and one of the first movies that I remember having incredibly fond memories of as a child. Even if I’m unable to take off the bluntly obvious nostalgia goggles (I never can!), it’s still a damn good movie in it’s own right.
The origin of Peter Parker turning into Spider-Man is very well told, Tobey Maguire is as every bit as likable and iconic as the title character as you can imagine, and Sam Raimi’s unique version of this world is felt perfectly through every single frame. And that’s not even talking about the insanely memorable supporting cast, quotable lines, amazing score, fist bumping action, and the light hearted tone that makes this movie super enjoyable to watch all of these years later.
While I’m sure there are those that like to poke fun at the outdated elements of the movie such as the special effects, cheeseball dialogue, and the Power Ranger-looking Green Goblin, they all still feel right at home with what Raimi brings into his style of Spider-Man, which is the corn and cheese nature of it. Regardless if you feel like this movie has stood the test of time or not, you can’t deny that if it weren’t the success of this movie, there’s a good chance that this subgenre of movies as we know it today would be no where near big as it has been for the past two decades.
3.) Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
While it may not match the level of surprise that Into the Spider-Verse provided and may leave plenty feeling frustrated albeit amused as it’s notable cliffhanger ending, Across the Spider-Verse makes for another marvelous cinematic experience, an impressive achievement in animation and filmmaking, and will instantly go down as of the most definite middle film chapters in recent memory, perhaps all time.
Everything you loved about the original is still present here, the themes and messages that the original got across is expanded to even greater affect here, there’s plenty of callbacks, references, Easter eggs, and fan service galore that will put plenty of smiles on faces, Gwen Stacy is giving more screen time and gets an incredibly compelling arc in her own right, each one of the new side characters will have their own favorites from fans, and even if you are left underwhelmed with the way things wrap up, you will no doubt be anxious to see the next one come spring time next year.
Across the Spider-Verse not only helps showcases the bright future of animation that awaits us but perhaps the bright future of cinema in general. While we might have to wait to see how they stick the landing with Beyond the Spider-Verse next year, this is no doubt another important milestone for animation. Just like how these Spider-Verse movies prove that Spider-Man belongs to everyone, so does animation. And there should be no one out there that should say otherwise.
2.) Spider-Man 2
If you want an example of how to do the perfect superhero sequel, look no further than Spider-Man 2! This is the sequel that was able to take everything we love about the original, expand upon it, and trim any sort of fat that could possibly ruin the experience. Even nearly two decades later and after so many superhero movies that have come out, this still stands out as one of the very best!
This is a movie that perfectly dives into the inner turmoil of being a superhero and the life superheroes have outside of that. Just like with the best Spider-Man movies, it’s all about struggles to balance two different life styles at the exact same time. And how even though being Spider-Man can suck sometimes, it’s something that Peter has to do because it’s just who he is and what his responsibility consists of. Throw in some truly fantastic action, with the main stand out being the spectacular train sequence, arguably the best fight in any superhero movie, a tremendous villain in Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock, character arcs that come full circle, and one of the most satisfying endings in any movie, you get an absolute cinematic masterpiece that is Spider-Man 2!
If you are someone that loves Spider-Man and superhero movies, I have no idea how you couldn’t at least like this movie. It deliver everything that a superhero movie can give you and even more. It has heart, humor, emotion, character development, action, and genuine themes that anyone can get behind. When it comes to live-action, there has yet to be a movie that comes even remotely close to topping Spider-Man 2!
1.) Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
However, when it comes to Spider-Man in terms of all the movies, Into the Spider-Verse is the ones that tops them all. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that this was an absolute gamechanger for animation. Not just because it was a near masterpiece of visual storytelling that was able to deliver everything that any hardcore comic book or casual fan could possibly want in an animated Spider-Man flick and then some, but was once again proved that animation should be allowed to stand as it’s own medium and NOT as a genre.
It doesn’t just use animation to make the picture look beautiful but it uses it to tell a very earnest and heartful story of what it’s like to be a superhero in a way you just couldn’t do in live-action. Despite their being several different Spider-men, women, and animals that are present, none of it takes away the fact that this is a Miles Morales movie from beginning to end. The animation is jaw dropping, the set pieces are incredible, every single notable Spider-person gets their moment to shine, every member of the voice cast is perfect in their roles, and it perfectly delivers a message that anyone, regardless of what their gender, race, and skin color is, can be a hero.
I don’t think there has been a film out there that perfectly illustrates not just how great Spider-Man as a character is but how great superheroes are in general and why they are important. Not only is Into the Spider-Verse the best Spider-Man movie to date, there’s a strong argument to be made that it’s the best superhero movie to date with no exceptions. Even so, Into the Spider-Verse is my favorite Spider-Man movie to date and one my personal favorite movies period. It’s one that I never get tired of watching no matter how many times I go back to it. It simply is perfection!
There has been no other franchise that has made as big of an impact on the film industry as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can debate whether or not it has impacted the industry for the better or for the worse but no doubt it has made an impact. With Spider-Man: Brand New Day now out in theaters, I want to take the time to share my rankings of all 38 (!) films to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far.
First off, a few disclaimers. I am ONLY counting the movies that were released to be a part of this cinematic universe and nothing else. Which is why you won’t see the Venom movies, Morbius, or any of the Spider-Man movies except for the ones with Tom Holland on this list. I’m also NOT including any of the Netflix or Disney Plus series as that would make the rankings on this list even more complicated than it already is. Lastly, this is all MY opinion. Considering there’s now 36 movies in this universe, there’s a good chance my rankings won’t match yours.
When doing this list, I mostly tried to find a good mix between the ones I find to be the best in terms of objective quality, the ones that I enjoy watching the most, and the ones that I believe serves a big purpose to not just the cinematic universe itself but also the superhero subgenre in general.
Anyways, here I go with the biggest ranking I’ve made on this site so far. Let’s rank the Marvel Cinematic Universe films!
38.) Thor: Love and Thunder
On paper, Love & Thunder should be the best Thor movie ever made. By incorporating major comic elements such as Jane Foster as Mighty Thor and have the GOAT Christian Bale playing Gorr the God Butcher, this should have been a slam dunk. Too bad, it doesn’t come anywhere close to living up to it’s potential, with Takia Whatti not being able to get out of it’s own damn way, making a film that feels like a parody of an MCU movie than an actual MCU movie. Nearly every single joke falls flat on it’s face, the tone is inconsistent as hell, the story of Jane dying of cancer could not have been handle in a more disrespectful way, and while Christian Bale tries his heart out as Gorr, he is giving jacks**it to work with, playing a god killer who does very little god killing. Whatever magic trick that Whatti was able to pull in balanced the comedic and dramatic elements of Thor: Ragnarok does NOT pull off here! Love & Thunder is exactly the kind of movie that gives the MCU haters plenty of ammo to support their arguments of Marvel ruining Hollywood!
37.) Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania isn’t quite the worst movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but it’s certainly knocking at that door. Despite the movie’s overall goal is to give everyone a clear direction as to where this next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going, it still has that feeling of inconsequentiality because of how little that will likely matter in the long run and how it barely progresses the characters and their stories here. It still hits the same beats you would expect from a Marvel movie but whether or not that will be enough to save the picture is entirely up to you. And if the box office results and fan/critical reception is anything to go by, it’s clearly not for most people. Jonathan Majors as Kang stands out well here (at least until Majors had to be an idiot and derail his own career and the MCU along with it) but very little else does, especially the mind numbing CGI. At least this is when Marvel knew something was wrong and had to make changes for the future!
36.) Captain America: Brave New World
If there is one MCU film that is the textbook definition of a nothing burger, look no further than Captain America: Brave New World. Anthony Mackie’s first ever film outing as the man in the stars and stripes could not have been more underwhelming if it tried. Instead of centering around an earnest adventure of Sam Wilson learning to step into the shoes as Captain America, Brave New World instead uses it’s plot for the sake of connecting tissues to prior (not so beloved) MCU installments such as The Incredible Hulk and Eternals. While it’s cool to see the MCU finally reference The Incredible Hulk as a legit thing and remember about the god from Eternals laying down in the ocean, I came to see a Captain America movie and….it doesn’t really deliver that here. Red Hulk is barely in it, the plot itself feels like a mismatch of the better parts of Winter Soldier and Civil War, it aims to be a political thriller without having ANYTHING to say politically that makes sense in the context of the MCU, and the reshoots could not have been more painfully obvious if it tries. When looking at it as a deposable action flick with espionage elements added to it, there’s nothing much here. When looking at through the current lenses of the MCU, there’s nothing much here. Even when talking about the post credits scene, there’s nothing much here! Brave New World is a film you can easily skip in your MCU marathon and you will miss NOTHING!
35.) Black Widow
The original female Avenger FINALLY got her own movie to shine…….about six years too late! When looking at it like that and the timing of it’s release, Black Widow could not have came out at the worst possible place at the worst possible time. Even when looking at the movie as it’s own thing, there’s not much that stands out here aside from some decent family drama and the introduction of the impossible-not-to-adore Florence Pugh of Natasha’s highly energetic sister Yelena. And don’t get me started on what’s done with Taskmaster, the less than stellar CGI in the third act that everyone and their mother has made fun of, and the fact they waited until AFTER Natasha was killed off to give her her own movie. If we have gotten this film much sooner, this could’ve stood out among the MCU’s greatest heroes. But by 2021, that ship had already sailed! Thanks a lot, Ike!
34.) Thor: The Dark World
The entry in this franchise that has aged the worst, especially in the wake of Thor:Ragnarok, remains among the weakest MCU installments to date. It still has it’s moments such as the powerful funeral scene and the moment where Thor and the main villain fights through the portals. However, it can never shake the feeling that it only exist just so Thor has a movie in Phase 2. The main problem is that it feels too inconsequential, complacent, and moves at such a fast clip that it’s hard to get invested into anything happen, even after characters supposedly “die”. The reshoots the movie have are quite obvious as it feels like a mix of multiple visions that never come together as a cohesive whole. Not to mention, the villain flat out sucks here (You can’t even remember his name, can you?)! On the bright, this did get a redemption arc later on down the road in Avengers:Endgame. It’s certainly a movie you can watch and get some entertainment out of, but this is certainly one movie which you can always skip when doing your MCU marathon re-watches.
33.) Iron Man 2
There are plenty of folks that claimed that Marvel Studios couldn’t miss in the Infinity Saga. Those people clearly didn’t watch Iron Man 2 (or Thor: The Dark World). Nearly everything that worked well in the original Iron Man just falls flat here. The cast is still great and the effects are top-notch but the script lets it down with too much Marvel easter eggs, little to no character progression, and action scenes that are over before they even began. You could tell Marvel was still getting their footing in how to make these movies as this feels like it only exist to buy time for the other movies in Phase One. On the bright side, just like with The Dark World, it did at least get a bit of a redemption arc later on down the road, with Captain America: The Winter Soldier being able to paint a much better picture on this ill-fated sequel. I guess that’s something.
32.) Captain Marvel
Marvel finally got around to making a female led superhero movie in 2019 with Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel. If you are able to separate the bizarre controversy that was attached to this film pre-release, it’s just…..painfully mid. The first act is all over the place and some retcons to the universe are plain dumb (Fury losing an eye to a cat!) but it is passable as a buddy cop flick/origin story on the most powerful superhero in the MCU. Brie Larson fits the roll very well and has great chemistry with the rest of the cast, the 90s setting is fun, Samuel Jackson and his CGI is perfection, and seeing Captain Marvel flying through and destroying ships in her super form is quite satisfying. If only this character was introduced a bit sooner and not just before Endgame that I think it would have been easier for others to accept Carol with the other Marvel heroes.
31.) Eternals
If you were to ask me which MCU movie would have worked better as it’s own Disney Plus series than as it’s own individual film, my first answer will always go to Eternals. Despite having a lot of ambition and interesting ideas, this never quite works the way it desperately wants too. There’s just too much characters to focus on with so little time given to develop any one of them to make you care about them. Not to mention, it has themes that (while well intended) end up practically contradicting itself by the end of it. Chloe Zhao does what she can in given the film it’s own unique directing style that distances itself from the rest of the MCU but it’s still too much of an unengaging slog to give it a pass. Eternals may not work but I do hope the negative reception this movie has gotten doesn’t prevent Marvel Studios from trying films like this in the near future.
30.) Doctor Strange
This introduces some of the most interesting ideas and concepts that the Marvel movies have tried out thus far but it’s just a shame not all of it is able to be executed to it’s fullest potential until the near tail end of the picture. Doctor Strange is the one MCU installment where you can really feel the Marvel formula that this franchise has grown accustom too with the way it hits every single origin story beat in the book. Also, the sideling of Mads Mikkelsen and Rachel McAdams doesn’t help here. The third act is still an absolute banger, Benedict Cumberbatch was born to play Stephen Strange, and it does at least give a clear view into the direction that future Marvel movies are going with how much weirder and “out there” it will dare to go with it’s set pieces and visuals. It’s still functional, but it feels like Doctor Strange is at his best when he’s paired up with other characters in this universe.
29.) Ant-Man and the Wasp
Coming straight off of the high heels of the maximum culmination blockbuster of Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp made for the right, breezy palate cleanser when it came out in 2018. Looking at it’s own, however, it doesn’t really offer more than the bare minimum of what most were expecting an Ant-Man sequel to consist off. Paul Rudd is still as charming as ever as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly steals the show and kicks major ass as Wasp, and the set pieces are quite fun. Even so, it still can’t help but feel too much like a placeholder film and a real expensive explanation as to what Scott did after Civil War and why he wasn’t in Infinity War. Not to mention, wasting Michelle Pfeiffer like that is a big no-no. It’s harmless fun but not all that memorable.
28.) The Marvels
Talk about a movie that came out at the worst possible time imaginable. Releasing during multiple strikes, franchise/superhero fatigue, and internet trolls being louder than ever, The Marvels is basically the one MCU movie that no one gave a chance to, not even Disney and Marvel themselves. Which sucks because when actually looking the movie on it’s own, it’s actually quite fun with some damn good action sequences, neat looking visuals, and three enjoyable female leads. Iman Vellani is precious as hell as Kamala Khan, Teyonah Parris is cool as Monica, and Brie Larson is able to shine much better her than any other films she’s been in as Captain Marvel, almost as if this is the character that Brie has been wanting to play since signing up for the role. It could have used a stronger villain in Dar-Benn, with more flesh out dynamics between her and the Marvels themselves and it’s certainly a film you can nitpick to death if you want to get technical about it but judging it as a straight up action movie, it’s entertaining with solid chemistry between the three leads. If you skipped this movie in theaters, I’d say give this a chance once it comes out on Disney Plus and you might be surprised with it.
27.) Spider-Man: Far From Home
On one hand, this sequel does have more focus on Peter Parker and his personal relationships and dilemmas than Homecoming along with some incredibly inventive action sequences (That Mysterio illusion scene is masterfully done!). On the other hand, there is still way too much Iron Man tech here (Especially with his literal killer glasses) and it’s ridiculous how we have ANOTHER Spider-Man villain that’s trying to get revenge on Tony Stark (despite the fact he’s actually dead now) instead of Spider-Man himself. Also, having a Spider-Man movie that takes place 95% outside of NYC or the multiverse just doesn’t gel well with the other. It doesn’t come close to being the very best of Spider-Man’s adventures, especially at the time with Into the Spider-Verse and Marvel’s Spider-Man, or top-tier MCU as a whole but acting as a plate cleanser for Avengers: Endgame and an epilogue for the Infinity Saga, Far From Home is passable but the best still have yet to come for the MCU version of Spider-Man.
26.) Avengers: Age of Ultron
In hindsight, this movie has gotten better with aged thanks to the films that came afterwards that were able to justify it’s existence. That being said, I still can’t help but feel there was still some major missed opportunities with Avengers: Age of Ultron (especially with Ultron himself). Too much of the picture feels like a placeholder for future movies instead of the main course, which is not something you should want out of an Avengers movie. Instead of feeling like a proper payoff to the other movies of the current phase like the original Avengers, this just feels like more build up for the likes of Civil War and Infinity War. And don’t get me started on that Hulk and Black Widow romance! Still, there are still plenty of solid character moments and action throughout (everything with Hawkeye is exceptional) and did introduce Scarlet Witch, who would later become one of the best, most developed and multilayered characters in the entire franchise! It’s a glorious imperfect mess but in a way, that’s part of it’s charms and I don’t think the other big MCU movies after this would have worked as well as it did without Age of Ultron.
25.) Thor
There are two main elements that holds the original Thor strongly together, the castings of Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. The first third and last third of the film are legit great, starting and ending Thor’s coming-to-age arc strongly, but the rest of the movie is a bit of a mixed bag. The scenes on Earth are just no where near as interesting as the ones on Asgard, the special effects look straight out of a cheaply budgeted CW show, and it’s hard to understand why Thor and Jane are that into each other, aside from the fact that both characters are played by two EXTERMELY attractive people. Also, some of the setup with S.H.I.E.L.D. feel like they are only here so audience don’t get confused by their presence in The Avengers. Still, the brilliant casting of Chris Heinsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki work wonders and Thor’s redemption arc works quite well, even if the journey along the way can be quite iffy.
24.) Ant-Man
While it still remain a shame we’ll never to get see Edgar Wright make his own Marvel movie, this still deliver as a perfectly enjoyable heist flick. Paul Feig and Michael Douglas were perfectly casted in their roles as Scott Lang and Hank Pym respectively and that third act remains one the more fun and creative third acts in the whole MCU. It also helps that it softened the landing after Age of Ultron was a mild disappointment being more refreshingly smaller scaled compare to other entries. It still does fall victim to many of the usual MCU tropes, especially with the charismatic but underused turn by Corey Stoll’s Darren Cross, but it’s breezy and entertaining enough that it doesn’t bring it down. Also, that cameo fight with you-know-who was cool too.
23.) Spider-Man: Homecoming
As it’s own movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming is fine and certainly enjoyable. As a Spider-Man movie however, it’s quite underwhelming. Tom Holland is great casting as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man, Michael Keaton’s Vulture is one of the very best baddies in the MCU, and the high school elements were somewhat relatable. However, too much of the movie feels restrained, like the filmmakers were too afraid of this movie being compared to the other Spider-Man movies that they desired to play it as safe as possible. There are changes that feel unnecessary (Why does Betty Brant feel like Gwen Stacy?), things that are removed (Uncle Ben’s importance), and things that are added (Spider-Man being Iron Man Jr.) which prevents Homecoming from being a top-tier Spider-Man experience. However after No Way Home and Brand New Day, this certainly has grown on me overtime and now feels like a film that has earned it’s place within the MCU. I like it but don’t love it!
22.) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Arguably the most divisive MCU installment since Iron Man 3, Multiverse of Madness is a film that uses it’s set pieces and effective imagery to flirt with and mock the kind of fandom that care more about filmmakers making their bizarre fan theories coming true instead of making a genuine work of art. It doesn’t quite reach it’s ambitions with quite a bit of characterization being paper thin and not taking as much advantage of the actual multiverse as much as it should (or at least even a quarter of how it was done in Everything Everywhere All At Once) but Sam Raimi’s unique style is on full display here, the set pieces that work here are some of the best in the entire MCU, and Elizabeth Olsen is an absolute force to be reckoned with as the Scarlet Witch. It’s just a shame that Marvel felt the need to apologize for this film and basically make an anti-equivalent of Multiverse of Madness with #21 and (probably) with Avengers: Doomsday!
21.) Deadpool & Wolverine
The third Deadpool film finally introduces the long-awaited arrival of Ryan Reynolds’s Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For the longtime fans, there’s a lot of fun and enjoyment to be found here with the insane amount of cameos, action beats, full 4th wall breaking humor, and just seeing Hugh Jackman in that classic yellow X-Men suit for the first time ever. As immensely enjoyable as Deadpool and Wolverine is, I did find myself missing the supporting cast that helped carry the first two films and is quite hostile in being a sequel to Deadpool 2. Also, I really hope Marvel doesn’t take the wrong lesson from this movie’s inevitable box office success and start making every movie going for just “MCU Reddit Fan Theories The Movie”. That will get old and fate very, VERY quickly!
20.) The Incredible Hulk
This is perhaps the most underappreciated film in the MCU, especially since this is the kind of movie that critics of this franchise tend to ask for. A movie that is mature, self-contained, and has it’s own arc for it’s main character that you don’t need to see any other movie to fully understand. Not to mention, the clever opening credits that is able to perfectly showcase Bruce’s origin into become the Hulk in a span of just three minutes along with the final fight between Hulk and Abomination is some of he most stand-out scenes in the MCU. However, Edward Norton doesn’t quite capture the character of Bruce Banner in the same way that Mark Ruffalo does and it’s overall distinct tone makes it feel quite jarring to fit in with the rest of the MCU. It’s nice to know though that The Incredible Hulk is getting recognize more from the universe with returning characters showing up in more MCU projects. Far from the best of the MCU but still pretty damn good in it’s own right and deserves recognition.
19.) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is about as good and thematically rich of a sequel as it could have been given the circumstances surrounding it. Despite losing a main key piece and a few too many subplots that feel like they’re only here to tease future movie and shows, it is still able to follow the remaining characters and themes from the first one in a way that feels organic and right. It’s beautifully acted and made, the handling of Chadwick Boseman’s death is done to near perfection, and is certainly a film you will want to bring tissues too. If only the runtime had been trimmed down and there wasn’t subplots that put more focus on setting up future Disney Plus shows. As divisive as Phase 4 as a whole as been, I don’t think it could have ended on a more emotional note than Wakanda Forever. Hopefully can bring the majority of fans and moviegoers together and realized what amazing things they had in the past while hoping for amazing things in the future.
18.) Thunderbolts*
Thunderbolts* pits the most unlikely scrappy anti-heroes of Marvel together, in a tale about the power of friendship and the dealings of mental health and depression. It’s easy to mistake this film as being a meta commentary of itself, where it’s about a team of unlikely super folks coming together in a time where superheroes have become a thing of the past and the world has moved on from them. However, what makes this stand out as well as it has is the chemistry and the development of the main cast that is front and center. Florence Pugh’s Yelena remains one of the most engaging leads of post-Endgame, Wyatt Russell still has the charm and charisma as dollar store Captain America, it’s always a treat to see Sebastian Stan as Bucky, and Lewis Pullman as Bob has one of the most compelling arcs in recent MCU history. It’s not quite an instant classic with the narrative being too disjointed at points and some characters giving rather harsh treatment (Don’t expect much from Ghost!), but Thunderbolts* is a solid reminder as to what made the MCU work in the first place, putting the characters first and story, lore, and world building second. It’s also refreshing how for the first time in a long time, it actually seems like the MCU has a proper direction and feels like it’s building towards something exciting.
17.) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is the one MCU installment that I’ve come close to loving completely but a few elements keep me back to doing so. James Gunn is able to capture that same charm and heart as the first one along with continuing the themes of family and friendship that the first one introduced as well as expand more on the side characters such as Nebula and Yondu. (Not to mention, Baby Groot is the cutest thing ever!) If only the second act didn’t drag as much and the Guardians had the same spark away from one another as they do when they are together, then this could have been just as good as the first one. Thankfully, Vol. 2 ends on an incredibly emotional high with one of the most fun post credit sequences ever in the MCU and Kurt Russell’s Ego is one of the better MCU villains throughout it’s history. Similar to Age of Ultron, it may have not moved the needle when it came out but as the MCU continues to expand, time has been very kind to this one!
16.) The Fantastic Four: First Steps
It may have taken literally four times but Marvel Studios was FINALLY able to get their first family right on the big screen with their MCU debut in First Steps. What makes this film so unique is how it’s able to exist in it’s own little bubble outside of the main MCU, allowing for a visual style, cosmic-like feel, worldbuilding, and a refreshing sense of optimism we have had yet to see in the rest of this cinematic universe. All four members of the team get their own moments to shine (Even if I would’ve liked a bit more of The Thing) and even the humor gets toned down this time around, allowing for more dramatic and emotional beats to play out better than most recent MCU movies. It does feel a bit too fast paced at times, given the indication that an extra 10-15 minutes might’ve been trimmed down due to possible concerning test screenings, and there are certain characters I would’ve liked to see get more screen time but if your biggest complaint with a movie is that you want more, then that MUST mean it’s a good thing. Overall, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is quite simply (I promise no pun intended!) FANTASTIC and a promising new reset to a possible bright future for Marvel!
15.) Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Here is proof that Marvel still knows how to take the familiar origin beats that they’ve become accustom to but still deliver something innovative and entertaining in the process! Taking a stamp from traditional martial art movies, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings delivers some of the best and most creative action sequences in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe to date! Simi Lulu as Shang-Chi is one of the coolest heroes the MCU has ever introduced, Tony Leung Chiu-wai as The Mandarian is one of the most engaging villains the MCU has ever had, Ben Kingsley is still an absolute riot as Trevor Slattery, and all of the female characters introduced such as Awkwafina’s Katy, Fala Chan’s Ying Li, Michelle Yeoh’s Jiang Nan, and especially Meng’er Zhang’s Xialing all stand out in their own unique and sometimes badass way. Sure, the third act is quite iffy and the resolution is shakey at best that doesn’t derail Shang-Chi from being one of the finest, fresh, and most pure fun installments in the post-Endgame MCU.
14.) Thor: Ragnarok
Thor: Ragnarök still remains the best Thor movie to this very day! Waititi is able to offer Thor’s most funniest, interesting, and tragic adventure yet, offering the change of pace, style, and tone that the Thor franchise desperately needed to after the underwhelming The Dark World to stand out with the rest of the MCU. Thrown in a great supporting cast with Tessa Thompson, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, and even Taika Waititi himself with the return of Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk and you got a complete package here. At times, it can get bogged down by having to carry too much baggage from the first two Thor movies without much proper payoff (I sure hope you weren’t big fans of Thor’s buddies from the first two movies) and it is perhaps “too funny” for some, but if it wasn’t for the success of this movie, there’s a good chance Marvel would have been as good as done with Thor by now.
13.) Iron Man
The Marvel Cinematic Universe started off with an absolute winner with Jon Favreau, Iron Man delivers an incredibly strong origin story of of Tony Stark, who would end up become the face of this franchise for 11+ years! Robert Downey Jr. is hands down the best casting choice in Marvel history as Iron Man and there is not a single scene in his Iron Man armor that he does not look like a badass. If it wasn’t for the tacked-on climax and an incredibly rushed villain arc in Iron Monger, this might just be one of the best superhero movies of all time. For what it’s worth though, we would not have the Marvel Cinematic Universe in any way, shape, or form if it wasn’t for the success of this movie, so this movie deserves all the credit and respect in the world for what it help start. And who could ever forget that bombshell of a post credit scene with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury coming out and mention the Avengers?!
12.) Captain America: The First Avenger
Might be a hot take but Captain America: The First Avenger was my personal favorite of the build-up movies leading up to The Avengers. It had such a warm and nostalgic feel to it that I can’t help but be in the mood to watch it whenever it’s on TV. Even before it became cool to like Captain America, this made me respect and admire the character of Steve Rogers in ways I never imagined. He’s a good guy just trying to do good things and do what he believes it’s right for himself and others. Chris Evans is terrific as Steve Rogers along with co-stars Sebastian Stan, Hugo Weaving, and the absolutely beautiful Hayley Atwell. Even the montage scene that is everyone’s biggest complaint didn’t bother me, even if I wouldn’t have mind an extra 15 to 20 minutes. With it’s warm tone and sense of wonder and optimism threw out, this is one of my personal favorites. Also, you are a robot if you don’t tear up at or near the end.
11.) Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Brand New Day is the first MCU Spider-Man film that is unafraid in giving us the Spider-Man doing his friendly neighborhood duty of protecting the city he’s sworn to protect and doing what’s best for those that he loves. Yes, we get to see Spider-Man at his absolute HIGH points as being the answer to The Big Apple. Yes, we get to see Spider-Man interacting with plenty of faces old and new in this cinematic universe in ways that feel organic, natural, and welcoming every time they are screen. Yes, the action scenes and web swinging sequences are cranked up to 11 in ways that hasn’t been done before in live-action, including a very impressive comic run-like scroll in the film’s opening 20 minutes. But what makes Brand New Day stand out as well as it does is the overall arc that Peter Parker goes through, with the themes of loneliness, isolation, and the need for reconnecting with others blended together beautifully. There are characters that I would’ve like to have seen more of and there’s one resolution towards the end that does feel like a complete copout but any potential narrative shortcoming here is completely washed away with the film’s overall sense of wonder and awareness. It might’ve taken a film of Tom Holland being sad and lonely to give this genre the potential two billion dollar booster shot it needed but hey, there’s no superhero that does it quite like Spider-Man.
10.) Avengers: Infinity War
The culmination of the past 10+ years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was an event of a lifetime and Avengers: Infinity War was able to deliver on that hype every step of the way! Seeing every possible Marvel superhero coming together to take on the greatest Marvel villain in Thanos felt like a dream come true for not just comic book fans but movie lovers in general. Not to mention, that ending which traumatize and entire generation of children, giving them the “You gotta be effing s*itting me!” feeling that Gen X got with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. However, certain elements such as the scattered shot first half and an ending that (while shocking) was clearly not gonna last holds it back for being higher on this list. Still, Infinity War is certainly one of the most exhilarating theater experiences I have ever had and it will always hold a special place in my heart because of that.
9.) Spider-Man: No Way Home
Now, that’s more like it! No Way Home was basically the Spider-Man movie that I have been waiting for from the MCU! It offers Tom Holland as his absolute best as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, giving the character more depth and intrigue than he did in his previous two solo movies, finally utilizing the potential of this version of Spider-Man that had previously shown glimpses of it in his extended cameo in Captain America: Civil War and his side roles in the last two Avengers movies. Unlike the previous two MCU Spidey films before it, No Way Home finally gave you an indication as to what this Spider-Man actually IS rather than what he is NOT! Of course, bring back in Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield along with their gallery of baddies and this is about as good of a Spidey adventure as it gets.
8.) Iron Man 3
That’s right! Iron Man 3 is my personal favorite Iron Man movie to date! Having the amount of action, humor, twists, turns, and social/political commentary, this is everything I could have ever want in an Iron Man movie. We see Tony Stark going back to basics here as he discovers that he can in fact be the hero that is Iron Man without even putting on the suit. Robert Downey Jr. is at his absolute best here in his solo movies, seeing Tony outside of his comfort zone is fun, and the action is about a exciting and thrilling as it could get with these movies. Hell, I even love that Mandarin Twist that everyone else and their mothers hate, sue me! It’s a shame that Rebecca Hall is sidelined here though and Bill Maher was given any screen time as well. Other than that, Iron Man 3 is the best Iron Man to date and one MCU experience that gets better and better for me each time I watch it.
7.) Captain America: Civil War
Arguably a better Avengers movie than Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War feels more like the darker, mature follow-up that we were hoping for than the installment we got in 2015. This is the one that tore the Avengers apart physiologically, where it took several years later to the team to even be whole again. The action sequences are phenomenal, it does a great job at being the right follow-up to both Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron, both sides of the conflict have clear and understandable motives that don’t just bluntly make them right and/or wrong, and every character, regardless of how important they are to the plot or not, get their own arc or at least moment to themselves. Aside from Zemo’s overall actions to his master plan is too far stretched and definitely requires some suspension of disbelief, Civil War remains a top-tier Marvel experience and makes for one of the most rewatchable installments in the MCU.
6.) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is able to successfully hit all the beats it needs to give fans and audiences a very satisfying ending to it’s trilogy of what is perhaps the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most surprising and consistently great franchise, along with showing how Marvel can still find ways to deliver quality entertainment, even when it might seem like they’ve reached their limits. It’s able to be funny, dark, sad, engaging, and deliver the highest and most personal stakes of all the three Guardians films that helps make it stand out as possibly the very best in trilogy. This also has some of the very best performances and emotional beats in anything Marvel related! All Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 needed to do was deliver a conclusion that felt definite, right and satisfying all the same. And on those terms, it was no doubt able to deliver a famously huge third (Pun entirely intended!) I’m glad James Gunn was able to end his run with Marvel on a high note and leave me awaiting his future with DC. A fitting farewell to these lovable galactic a-holes!
5.) Avengers: Endgame
Despite some time travel inconsistencies and one or two misused characters (*cough* Hulk), Avengers: Endgame still makes for a thrilling and satisfying end to the Infinity Saga. It ends the first few waves of Marvel movies on a high note, it’s well-structured and paced despite it being three hours long, it delivers some of the most unexpected but well earned payoffs in the entire franchise, and that final battle, which the whole series was building too, could not have deliver any better than it did. (FYI, the girl power scene is AWESOME! Don’t @ me!) Even if, like INFINITY WAR, it does feels more like an event than a movie, Endgame still makes for one amazing event nonetheless. I will definitely never forget seeing the entire theater’s reaction to Captain America wielding the Mjolnir, showing that he is in fact worthy, or hearing folks cry when Tony Stark died. Even if the Marvel Cinematic Universe ended here, Endgame would have been more than a fine note to go out on and still remain one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of blockbuster cinema.
4.) Black Panther
Yes the CGI isn’t that great. Yes, it does move a bit slow in the first act and quite fast in the third act. And yes, more time with the bad guys would have helped. Nevertheless, when it come to quality, filmmaking, and it’s overall impact on pop culture, I don’t think there’s been an MCU installment that hits quite as hard as Black Panther. The characters are all iconic, especially with Kilmonger being arguably the bet MCU villain to date, everything that takes place in Wakanda is wonderful, the action is well done, especially that car chase, the aesthetic (minus the CGI) is a treat for the eyes, the music absolutely slaps, and the impactful themes are ones that still resonate with me to this very day. When looking back on it, you can tell the impact that Black Panther had with Marvel Studios and director Ryan Coogler and how it would be quite hard to replicated something with that one center piece now gone. Nevertheless, they can at least look back and witness the amazing achievement they were able to accomplish with the absolutely MARVELOUS (no pun intended) gem that is Black Panther. RIP Chadwick Boseman!
3.) The Avengers
The one crossover flick for the ages! The one that change all superhero and blockbusters in general for better and for worse (mostly worse). With all the comic book flicks that have come out after this, it’s easy to forget how much of a miracle it is that The Avengers worked out as well as it did in the first place. Yes, the plotting and themes are simple and can be read like a book but that’s a necessary evil giving it does everything else incredibly well. Just about all the Avengers get their time to shine, the entire cast has perfect chemistry, it has the perfect blend of action, comedy, and drama, and the final battle is an absolute banger, which helps tie everything together and basically as a firework display with Marvel basically celebrating their own tremendous accomplishment. Who knows where Marvel and Cinema would be today if this movie didn’t work out? That in of itself makes The Avengers an all-time classic and one that I will always revisit whenever I’m in the mood. Joss Whedon can suck it though!
2.) Captain America: The Winter Soldier
If Captain America: The First Avenger was a perfect period piece flick, then Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a perfect Captain America flick for the modern times. Not only a very well done espionage thriller with plenty of thrilling action, character development, and important subject matter, but it managed to make certain characters more interesting and badass than ever before. Captain America became cool to like in this one, Black Widow was more interesting and developed this time around (along with having the best hairstyle here), Nick Fury actually gets to do something here than just try to motivate the Avengers through pep talk, and man does Winter Soldier make for an intense and threatening presence whenever he is one screen. This was the Russo Brothers first film in the MCU and they could not have left a better first impression than they did here. Winter Soldier was the one that change the MCU for the greater good and proved they can in fact work as their own things instead of being sneak previews for the main big events. One of the greatest superhero movies ever made and that is NOT an exaggeration!
1.) Guardians of the Galaxy
While this may not be technically the best directed, acted, or written MCU movie, I don’t think there’s any other MCU movie I would rather rewatch than the original Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s incredible how a movie with this different of concept and characters and play barley over two hours yet it feels like the complete package. Every member of the Guardians of the Galaxy is instantly iconic and lovable, with the big standouts being Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, the story is familiar but also refreshing, the action scenes are well-crafted, it’s funny as hell, the score is kick-ass, and there’s some hard hitting emotions that feel just right. The best part about it is that you can easily watch this movie without having seen any other Marvel movie and you’d be able to follow it just fine. Even the one-note villain of Ronan the Accuser, is actually quite functional in his own way as being the space equivalent of Hitler. There are definitely Marvel movies that are better made and might be better objectively but you’d be hard pressed to find one that’s as fresh, surprising, and flat-out more entertaining than Guardians of the Galaxy!
Oh, boy! This movie is gonna be a hard one to review in spoiler-free fashion! Not necessarily because it’s hard to describe my feeling towards the latest cinematic adventure with your favorite web swinger without revealing all the nooks and crannies in it but more that it’s near impossible to talk about the film in it’s entirety without address the GIANT elephant in the room! An elephant in the room that was solely created by the marketing (which has done a surprisingly superb job of not giving too much away and saving the fun surprises for the theatrical experience) that COMPLETELY glosses over a certain character that is meant to act as the film’s central main antagonist (or at least the closest thing this film has to an actual antagonist). For whatever reason, Marvel and Sony has decided to keep that character’s identity a complete secret and went through a great deal in the trailers to show as LITTLE of this character as possible.
Granted, about 99% of Marvel fans probably knows EXACTLY who I’m talking about and what character this certain actor or actress is playing (and I believe there’s already been certain folks at the premiere who basically already revealed the identity of that character) but in case you are the 1% of folks out there who don’t have a clue who or what I’m talking about, I won’t spoil it in this review. I do plan to post a spoiler filled piece after the movie releases worldwide to give a deep dive into that character and how I felt about their role in the film. But for know, I will try to keep this review as vague as possible. Here we go!
It’s crazy how we are actually getting a fourth film with a cinematic version of Spider-Man for once. Tobey Maguire wasn’t able to get his fourth film up and running after the commercially successful but poorly received, Spider-Man 3. Andrew Garfield couldn’t even get a third one after the commercially unsuccessful AND poorly received, The Amazing Spider-Man 2. But yet, it’s Tom Holland of all webheads that was able to get his fourth entry, something which not even his old pal Tony Stark could say (at least for now). However, with the emotionally fulfilling way the last one ended, it left PLENTY of free realm to take this series in a completely new direction.
Sure, No Way Home did make for a bittersweet ending to a somewhat uneven “home” trilogy of our friendly neighborhood NYC hero and it would’ve been fine if that was the last we ever saw of Tom Holland as Spider-Man in the MCU. However, with the way the first three films operated themselves as a slow burn origin story of our (Spider) boy learning to become a (Spider) man (unintentionally or otherwise), it paves a way to FINALLY have a Spider-Man movie in the MCU that legit feels like the “prime” Spider-Man we all know and love. And for the most part, Brand New Day is able to deliver just that and then some.
Premise: Following Dr. Strange’s spell at the end of No Way Home, the world has forgotten that Peter Parker exists. Four years later, Peter (Tom Holland) anonymously protects New York City as the hero Spider-Man and investigates a powerful new threat while his superpowers undergo a surprising and potentially dangerous evolution.
Brand New Day is the first MCU Spider-Man film that is unafraid in giving us the Spider-Man doing his friendly neighborhood duty of protecting the city he’s sworn to protect and doing what’s best for those that he loves. Yes, we get to see Spider-Man at his absolute HIGH points as being the answer to The Big Apple. Yes, we get to see Spider-Man interacting with plenty of faces old and new in this cinematic universe in ways that feel organic, natural, and welcoming every time they are screen. Yes, the action scenes and web swinging sequences are cranked up to 11 in ways that hasn’t been done before in live-action, including a very impressive comic run-like scroll in the film’s opening 20 minutes. But what makes Brand New Day stand out as well as it does is the overall arc that Peter Parker goes through.
Everyone always know that the best Spider-Man stories are ALWAYS the ones where the worlds of Peter Parker and Spider-Man collides among his friends, rivals, and responsibilities. Although, the ones that tend to stand out among the VERY best are the ones that raises the questions of what happen when one side of the personal life/hero persona get abandoned in favor of the other side. In Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2, we see a Peter Parker who gives up being Spider-Man so he can focus on being Peter Parker. In Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, we see a Peter Parker who gives up being Peter Parker so he can focus on being Spider-Man. This is an arc that not only feels perfectly in line with the titled character and the aftermath of No Way Home (while also making for some interesting metaphors on the new powers he develops out of thin air) but also making Holland’s version of Peter Parker standing out as perhaps the most relatable of his generation.
While this Spider-Man has had plenty of Ws in the four years that have passed since the last movie, this Peter Parker has taken nothing but Ls since then. By feeling he has no choice but to put his superhero life over his personal life, we see Peter being forced to adjust into a world that has forgotten about him and moved forward with their lives. He has no friends, no family, no stable job, and no career ahead of him. He has nothing left…..except Spider-Man. To put it simply, Brand New Day is a Spider-Man movie made for Gen Z, the generation that grew up during the height of covid, a loneliness epidemic, and an economy that is about as depression that Peter is throughout the entirety of this film.
And it’s not just Peter himself that has a massive black hole needing to be filled within himself, we get to see that sentiment shared with other characters as well. The Punisher is still operating as his own independent vigilante after losing his family all those years ago, there’s Bruce Banner who still has that battle within with the green monster that can always break out at any moment, which causes him to keep his distance from those he loves, and MJ and Ned pursuing the lives and career choices they’ve desired, they still feel like they are missing something which just so happens to be Spider related. And of course, there is also the film’s antagonist/mystery character which will NOT be mentioned in this review that serves the best parallel out of all of this to Peter Parker. While plenty will be said about the film’s overabundance on characters and subplots, there’s no denying that the film’s overall themes surrounding loneliness, isolation, and the needing to reconnect with one another is fairly consistent throughout the entire film.
And speaking of which, Brand New Day certainly does try to juggle a lot throughout it’s entire 145-minute long runtime. It aims to be that perfect mix of being a proper sequel to No Way Home with it’s smaller-scaled, street level ambitions while also laying the groundwork for a newly introduced character that is clearly going to play a big role in future Marvel endeavors. Thankfully, writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers prove they are up to the task with making both of these major storylines intertwine in a way that feels consist with the overall narrative of the film that doesn’t forget that this is a Spider-Man movie, even more so with how they juggled the Far From Home aftermath of Mysterio spilling the beans of who Spidey is and just making a live-action version of Into the Spider-Verse last time around.
There is a slight detour towards the beginning of the third act that nearly takes a noise dive and makes it seem like all of the thematic plates spinning in the air are about to come crashing down. But then, the film remembers what it’s about by cleverly taking a page from the climax of a recent MCU film, properly expanding upon that film’s and this one’s relatable dilemma, and everything’s good again. I can’t properly answer whether or not this character needed to be introduced in THIS movie but they work rather well for what I imagine was forced upon them by Kevin and company since the 2025 MCU entries couldn’t move the needle on getting audiences enthused on what comes next after the multiverse shenanigans is over. Like the very best MCU movies, it’s able to have it’s cake and eat it too in the ways that are even more delicious than what you ordered.
While Jon Watts did a fine job overall with the “Home” trilogy, Destin Daniel Cretton proves himself to be more than worthy of continuing this version of Spider-Man on his own with no extreme guidance necessary. He’s able to bring so much energy with the film’s action sequences and web swinging moments that makes them all exhilarating to watch, while also able to embrace it’s comic-booky feel without it feeling too jarring or far stretched to the casual movie goer. I’m sure there’s a shot or two that Film Twitter will nitpick to death for the next three years until the next Spider-Man movie comes along but the same proper care and treatment that Cretton gave to his other (underrated/overlooked) MCU projects in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Wonder Man are properly shown here. Looks like Mr. Feige has ANOTHER director he can take under his wing.
The entire cast gives everything they got here. Tom Holland still shows great passion and vulnerability as perhaps the most relatable version of Peter Parker we have seen to date, shockingly still able to explore hidden depth and intrigue despite being four movies in, while also being more jokey and confident than ever before as Spider-Man. Jon Bernthal is able to fit perfectly in movie form as Frank Castle as he does in streaming service form. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are given more depth to MJ and Ned than you might’ve expected. Liza Colón-Zayas and Tramell Tillman are fun in their brief roles as totally NOT Commissioner Gordon and totally NOT Head of ICE! Mark Ruffalo is given a lesser role than you would probably expect as Bruce Banner/Hulk but he’s still here (even if he’s no where to be seen at the premiere).
And without getting into spoilers, Sadie Sink is absolutely great as her “mysterious” character. While it does take a while to actually get to her on screen, she is able to perfectly match the presence of Holland and all those she shares screentime with. If the rest of the cast of the series that she will be attached to from hear on out is as pitch perfect as this, then there might indeed be some hope for the MCU yet.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is that rare fourth installment in a franchise that not only works strongly in it’s own right but is able to greatly justify it’s own existence with no financial apology needed whatsoever. It’s able to act well as being a proper follow-up to the last movie while also setting things up for what could be a even more promising second trilogy with a more “proper” Spider-Man this time around. There are characters that I would’ve like to have seen more of and there’s one resolution towards the end that does feel like a complete copout but any potential narrative shortcoming here is completely washed away with the film’s overall sense of wonder and awareness.
It’s no secret that superhero films aren’t the box office juggernauts they used to be but films like Spider-Man: Brand New Day prove that there is still a dire need for them in this day and age. Even if the quality is in shorter supplies these days, there is just nothing like seeing a cast and crew using their great powers to take on great responsibilities when tackling these popular superheroes. It might’ve taken a film of Tom Holland being sad and lonely to give this genre the potential two billion dollar booster shot it needed but hey, there’s no superhero that does it quite like Spider-Man.
Just please let him be happy once this is all over, okay?!
Other thoughts:
Don’t bother staying for the end credits scene because….it sucked. It just sucks!
Also, don’t expect much out of the Spidey villains shown off in the marketing because they don’t really matter that much, outside of MAYBE Scorpion. (There’s a reason why there’s only been ONE leaked shot of Tombstone!)
Michael Giacchino deserves more credit for the scores in this series. It’s able to stand out gloriously well as it’s own distinct Spider-Man score without much reliance on prior Spider-Man scores to make it stand out. This man in general might be the legit saving grace when it comes to the score in the MCU.
I can definitely see why Mark Ruffalo hasn’t join the press tour for this movie. Taking away his political persuasions and being busy shooting another tv show, Bruce Banner and Hulk aren’t in the movie that much.
It still is cool to see an unhinged Hulk that we have NOT seen since the beginning of Infinity War.
I REALLY need more of The Punisher and Jean DeWolff in the future. They work off of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man PERFECTLY!
Now, please just bring in Kingpin for the next time and have Daredevil join along for the ride. We can’t have a complete Devil’s Reign adaption WITHOUT Spider-Man playing a big role in it.
Oh, and that ONE character that shows up is a lot of fun to. Try to guess which one I’m talking about when you see them!
We are approaching May, which means we are officaly enterting the summer movie season! The time of the year where the big blockbusters of the year are front and center in movie theaters everywhere now that the kids are out of school! Because of that, it’s time to do a list of what I believe will be the top highest grossing films of the summer!
With Hollywood continuing to struggle in the movie theater business post-covid, only God knows how many more summer movie seasons await. Although, theaters have been picking up great momentum in the box office as of late with the likes of Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it’s unclear how long they will be able to carry that momentum throughout the rest of the year and even the future.
I think the 2026 summer movie season will give a big indication as to whether or not Hollywood is still recovering from the post-covid era of struggling to get people’s butts into theater seats or will this be the beginning of a resurrection for summer movies! We can only cross our fingers and hope for the best!
And considering I’ve been seeing multiple people put their own predictions of the top 10 biggest summer movies in terms of profit, why not throw my own hat in the ring and do my own list of this?! Keep in mind, these are the movies that I believe will be the highest grossing of the summer, not the ones that I desperately want to be at the very top. This list is not a matter of anticipation or movies I think will be objectively the best, this is a list of the movies that I believe will be the most to least successful in terms of the top 10 movies of the summer.
Also, this is a ranking based on box office numbers worldwide and NOT domestic. That list would be harder and more complicated for me to judge. This is how I feel the box office numbers will hold for summer movies WORLDWIDE from late April to mid August. Could I be dead wrong on every single one of these? Absolutely! But hey, it’s fun to be able to make predictions, right?!
And yes, I am throwing Michael in there. Even though it’s a movie that’s coming out in April, I think that gives up more “summer movie season kick off” vibes than The Devil Wears Prada 2. Just like how Infinity War and Endgame gave off more “summer movie season kick off” vibes….than whatever the heck released in the first week of May in 2018 and 2019!
Time to jump right in and put my predictions on what I believe will be the top 10 highest grossing films of the summer!
10.) Supergirl
Release Date: June 26th
Box Office Projection: $350+ Million
It’s very difficult to find any positive signs here. From it’s questionable release date to it’s lackluster trailers to it’s already nightmare PR, Supe’s cousin will have a hard time finding any sort of audience in the theaters come June. Even Jason Momoa won’t be the selling point that DC is hoping he will be. Unless the quality of the film ends up being nothing sort of stellar, with Elemental-like legs to help pull it through, I expect Supergirl to be one of the more heartbreaking bombs of the summer, falling into the same “female-led movies made for men” wheelhouse with 2024’s Furiosa and last summer’s Ballerina. Mr. Gunn and company better hope that Man of Tomorrow delivers next summer or else this new DC Universe might just be over before it even got a chance to settle in, (and that’s not even mentioning the GIANT elephant in the room that’s about to swallow Warner Bros Discovery up).
9.) The Mandalorian & Grogu
Release Date: May 22nd
Box Office Projection: $400+ Million
Who in their right minds thought that Star Wars’ first trip back to cinema since 2019 should involve an extension of a streaming series that ended three years ago and peaked in quality over five years ago?! With the near non-existence marketing and a very vague plot synopsis, The Mandalorian & Grogu looks more in-line with the The Clone Wars animated film from 2008 than any of the “official” Star Wars films (And that’s totally NOT because both films where originally meant to be several episodes of their own respective shows and JUST so happens to have Jabba the Hutt’s son in it). The good news is that it will have two weeks to itself, including Memorial Day weekend, before having to go up against any real competition, and if the budget is tight enough, it won’t need to make a fortunate to avoid a Solo: A Star Wars Story-level financial disaster. It looks harmless enough with the fan favorite characters from the Disney era in Mando and Grogu at the forefront, with the G.O.A.T. Sigourney Weaver thrown in there for good measure. If this doesn’t make any noise once June rolls around, it might be up to good old Ryan Gosling to salvage what’s left of the Star Wars IP come this time next year with Star Wars: Starfighter.
8.) Discourse Day
Release Date: June 12th
Box Office Projection: $475+ Million
This could easily come back to burn me later on down the road but every summer, there’s always tends to be one original film that’s able to break out at the box office in ways that nobody expected. Last year, that film was F1. This year, I can see Discourse Day being that film. Maybe it’s because it’s a Steven Spielberg film and the whole “Are aliens real or not?!” question that the film is asking has become strangely relevant in recent months (Thanks, Obama!), but I can see this shocking everyone in amazement to at least edge around the half billion dollar mark. This film’s potential level of grand success is all about the timing of it’s release and if the word-of-mouth is able to be on the level of Project Hail Mary. Films like Sinners, K-Pop Demon Hunters, and the two others I mentioned has shown that audiences are indeed hungry for more original stories/experiences on the big screen, the solid quality just needs to be there. And if the quality is there, don’t be surprised to see Discourse Day defying every expectation this summer.
7.) The Devil Wears Prada 2
Release Date: May 1st
Box Office Projection: $625+ Million
If there’s one thing we should all learn by now, it’s to NEVER underestimate the power of women. Films like Barbie, Wicked, and last winter’s The Housemaid has shown that the ladies will ALWAYS show up in drones to see films in theaters that are specifically made for them. The original Devil Wears Prada turns 20 years old this year and has gained a MASSIVE cult following throughout the past two decades. With the return of the OG cast of Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, it’s strong marketing, and massive trailer hype/viewership, I fully expect The Devil Wears Prada 2 to kick off May on a high note and be the big film to beat next month.
6.) The Odyssey
Release Date: July 17th
Box Office Projection: $750+ Million
To be sure, a film like this making at least 750 million dollar signs in this day and age should be seen as a MAJOR accomplishment! There is no other filmmaker working today other than Christopher Nolan that could generate this level of excitement with a project like this! However, I don’t see The Odyssey being on the same level as Oppenheimer (which made $975+ million in 2023), as it won’t have the “Barbenheimer” hype attached to it despite it tackling a more “universal” story. Not to mention, the potential loss of its IMAX screens after it’s first two weeks due to Spider-Man: Brand New Day could greatly affect repeated viewings for its theatrical release! Christopher Nolan is perhaps the one director working today to where his name attached to a film alone will guarantee box office success (Every film that Nolan has directed since 2008’s The Dark Knight has been able to achieve this mark, even Tenet in 2020, A.K.A. the covid year!) and The Odyssey should be no exception! However, the road to doing Oppenheimer level numbers will be much tougher for Mr. Nolan this time around!
5.) Moana (2026)
Release Date: July 10th
Box Office Projection: $800+ Million
Moana is undoubtedly one of the most popular Disney brands right now, with the original animated film being the most streamed movie ever on Disney Plus and its sequel making a billion dollars just over a year ago! What will likely hold this live-action remake back other than the crowded family summer movie season is its lack of nostalgia factor! Live-action remakes like The Lion King (2019) and Lilo & Stitch (2025) were able to be the billion dollar grossers they did BECAUSE of the nostalgia attached to those films, which gave kids enough time to grow up, become nostalgic for the original animated Disney classics, and have raised kids of their own to share the theatrical experience with! Moana (2026) will be coming out at a time where the original animated film won’t even be fully 10 years old yet (It released in November 2016 btw) and just a year and a half after its animated sequel came out! It will still be a big success since the Moana brand is still strong but the lack of the nostalgic hook will prevent this from making a billion dollars!
4.) Minions & Monsters
Release Date: July 1st
Box Office Projection: $850+ Million
Since 2010, Illumination Animation has been able to crack the code on how to make crowd pleasing animated flicks for young kids, forcing their parents to take them to the movie theaters every other summer to see the newest Despicable Me and Minions movie that comes out. In regards to the installments that have come from this franchise post-covid, Minions: The Rise of Guru was able to make $940+ million in 2022 and Despicable Me 4 made $971+ million in 2024! Due to a much more crowded summer than in 2022 and 2024, having to compete with other family flicks such as the one-two Mickey Mouse punch of Toy Story 5 and Moana (2026), I do expect Minions & Monsters to take a decline as well, in a similar way that last summer’s Jurassic World: Rebirth was a slight decline with the other Jurassic Park/World movies. Even if this one ends up being slightly inferior to it’s predecessors and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie isn’t the $1.5+ billion juggernaut I predicted (Silly me!), Illumination and Universal should be eating just fine with their animated feature films in 2026!
3.) Michael
Release Date: April 24th
Box Office Projection: $950+ Million
I don’t care if the pre-sales numbers have been iffy thus far and the behind-the-scenes drama will put a giant raincloud throughout the press release, THIS is one that I can see being a global phenomenon. Michael Jackson is no doubt the most popular musician of all time, gaining worldwide appeal from all across planet Earth. With the high trailer numbers and the multiple generations of fans that MJ has gained throughout the course of several decades, there should be no reason to doubt his annual biopic will be a huge theatrical success. If the legs are strong and it ends up pleasing the masses enough, I can see Michael topping Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest grossing musical biopic of all time. This seems like the kind of film that will get people who don’t go to theaters anymore off their couches, similar to the likes of Top Gun: Maverick and Barbenheimer. Even though this film will be released in April, this will likely be seen as the true kick-off to the summer movie season of 2026!
2.) Toy Story 5
Release Date: June 19th
Box Office Projection: $1.1+ Billion
Although I was harsher on this one in my initial box office predictions earlier this year, this has grown on me quite a bit in recent months. To compare the box office numbers of the last two Toy Story movies, Toy Story 4 made $1.073+ billion about nine years after Toy Story 3, which made around $1.066+ billion. That’s less than a seven million dollar increase between these two films despite being nearly a decade apart! However, with it’s iPad storyline being very timely and the trailers seeming to promise a more traditional Toy Story adventure than Toy Story 4 did, I can see Toy Story 5 surpassing the previous film just enough to take the crown as the big family film of the summer, even from Disney’s own Moana (2026). Even if the film stumbles in quality or ends up being a punching bag on the internet like Toy Story 4 became after it’s release, there will still be plenty of kids and families that will go see this film in theaters to make it at least flirt with the billion dollar mark!
1.) Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Release Date: July 31st
Box Office Projection: $1.3+ Billion
Even in an era where superhero fatigue is at an all-time high, Spider-Man will ALWAYS be a box office draw no matter what! Him and Batman have proven themselves to be perhaps the lone superhero IPs that can still draw box office hits in the most uncertain times of the genre, at least if the successes of 2021’s No Way Home ($1.9+ billion), 2022’s The Batman ($772+ million), and 2023’s Across the Spider-Verse ($690+ million) is anything to go by. And NO, this will NOT be a No Way Home box office juggernaut but that should be expected considering this will (likely) not have the nostalgia of the good old days with William Dafoe and Tobey Maguire attached to it. I expect similar numbers to Far From Home (which made $1.1+ billion high off the heels of Avengers: Endgame), if not a bit more. Between the additions of notable Marvel characters such as The Punisher, Hulk, and whoever the heck Sadie Sink is suppose to be playing along with there being a decent amount of time since the last Spider-Man movie came out to build hype (No Way Home turns HALF a decade old this year btw!), Brand New Day will stand proud as the #1 film of the 2026 summer movie season, proving Spidey can defy ANY realms of superhero and Marvel fatigue!
1.) Spider-Man: Brand New Day- $1.3+ Billion
2.) Toy Story 5- $1.1+ Billion
3.) Michael- $950+ Million
4.) Minions & Monsters- $850+ Million
5.) Moana (2026)- $800+ Million
6.) The Odyssey- $750+ Million
7.) The Devil Wears Prada 2- $625+ Million
8.) Disclosure Day- $475+ Million
9.) The Mandalorian & Grogu- $400+ Million
10.) Supergirl- $350+ Million
As for other movies that missed the list:
Masters of the Universe (2026)
$325+ Million
I went back and forth between Supergirl and Masters of the Universe for the #10 spot but I went with Supergirl because I believe superheroes still have more appeal with Gen Z and Millennials than Masters of the Universe has with baby boomers. Even if the quality is on the level of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves like I expected to be given it’s Travis Knight taking the wheel here, He-Man just doesn’t seem like a popular brand in the year 2026. I wouldn’t be surprised if this film ends up losing Amazon quite a bit of money.
Mortal Kombat II
$175+ Million
Even if the first film was a bomb in 2021 (when half of movie theaters around the world will still closed), Mortal Kombat II should do quite well, with it being giving a more proper theatrical release and the trailers promising to deliver the goods the fans wanted that they didn’t get from the first film. Even if it will do numbers closer to Five Nights At Freddy’s than Minecraft, Mario, or Sonic, I don’t think WB will be too upset with the box office results. I only wonder if it was wise to delayed the picture from it’s original fall release from last year.
Scary Movie (2026)
$200+ Million
If Scary Movie is able to be on the same level of quality as last year’s The Naked Gun, then I can see the sixth entry riding the successful wave of Scream 7, opening the doors opening for more raw horror/politically incorrect comedies for the immediate future.
Evil Dead Burn
$50+ Million
Evil Dead Burn will likely end up being as buried and forgotten as ME3AN 2.0 was last summer. Again, what is it with these horror films getting the most bizarre release dates imaginable?!
Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie
$150+ Million
This will prove that Paw Patrol is still….a thing that exists for kids. But, it’s also coming out at the tail end of summer and when kids start going back to school so….yeah.
Jackass: Best and Last
$100+ Million
Johnny, please take us ALL home with Jackass: Best and Last! Just take us all home!
Remember when Sam Raimi kinda sorta tackled the spiritual prequel to The Wizard of Oz? You don’t! Well, that might just be for the better! The decision to try to tackle the lore of Oz using the story template of Army of Darkness is a neat idea on paper but very iffy in execution. From the obvious green screen effects to the bizarre casting choices (James Franco as Oz?! Really?!) to the baffling treatment of the witches themselves, Oz: The Great and Powerful offers Sam Raimi as his safest and weakest! This feels like the only film on this list where it felt like literally ANYONE other than Sam Raimi could have directed it. There’s some entertaining bits scattered throughout and is certainly watchable but you are better off just watching the original Wizard of Oz or the Wicked films if you want your cinematic fix in the Land of Oz!
15.) Crimewave
Following his first notable success with The Evil Dead, Raimi decided to take matters into his own hands with his follow-up Crimewave, a slapstick comedy about an innocent man accused of numerous murders. Unfortunately, the studio had other plans. Bruce Campbell wasn’t aloud to be casted as the lead role, Raimi’s personal composer and editor was replaced entirely, and you can really tell the inexperience that young Raimi had when it came to production and being able to make a film with a studio breathing down his neck. The good news is that several elements from this film would make way to later productions from Raimi down the road, leading directly to Evil Dead II. There’s a handful of moments that capture Raimi’s visionary lightning in a bottle but not enough to hide the compromised mess that Crimewave is.
14.) For Love of the Game
Here’s the one time that Raimi tried to make his own sports movie! He even went as far as to cast baseball movie star veteran Kevin Costner and even got the late great broadcaster Vin Sully (RIP!) to come in the booth! The end results however are just okay! The baseball scenes themselves work well enough and there’s enough of a beating heart to keep him from being in any way detestable. However, the sluggish pacing, by-the-numbers storytelling, and a shockingly bloated runtime (This is two hours and 18 minutes long!), keep For Love of the Game from being an all-time sports classic. Still, for those that are fond of baseball movies and your typical baseball movie cliches, this should do you just fine.
13.) The Gift
With what was his last indie project before promoting himself to blockbuster territory with Spider-Man (2002), Raimi made a supernatural thriller about a fortune teller getting roped in a small-town murder investigation (Doesn’t that ring a small bell from earlier?). This contains a stacked cast with Cate Blanchett, Katie Holmes, Hilary Swank, Michael Jeter, future Spider-Man stars J.K. Simmons and Rosemary Harris, and Keanu Reeves, in EASILY his most unlikeable role to date (And I mean that in the best way!) The main issue has to do with the main protagonist being overly stupid, making for the worst psychic and detective you can possibly imagine. Even if that’s part of the joke here (which it isn’t), it doesn’t make the experience that much better. The Gift has an intriguing premise that never feels like it lives up to it’s 100% potential!
12.) The Quick and the Dead
Raimi decided to dip his toe into the western genre and the results are mostly pretty good. Aided by the proper cast with Sharon Stone, Gene Hackma, Russell Crowe Leo DiCaprio, and many others, pretty sharp direction that manages to feel properly Raimi, and the characters manages to all be quite intriguing and entertaining in their own right. It does suffer from an overlong middle stretch and the film’s entire build up is strictly on a quick draw tournament, which results in a crap ton of build up to not a ton of payoff. The Quick and the Dead still makes for a fun time and is worth checking out if you are a sucker for a solid western.
11.) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Arguably the most divisive MCU installment since Iron Man 3, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a film that uses it’s set pieces and effective imagery to flirt with and mock the kind of fandom that cares more about filmmakers making their bizarre fan theories coming true instead of making a genuine work of art. It doesn’t quite reach it’s ambitions with the characterization being paper thin, a script that doesn’t seem to care about what happened during WandaVision, and not taking as much advantage of the actual multiverse as much as say the Spider-Verse films do but Sam Raimi’s unique horror-like style is on full display here. The set pieces that work here are some of the best in the entire MCU, Benedict Cumberbatch feels completely at home as Stephen Strange (even if he has absolutely zero chemistry with Rachael McAdams), and Elizabeth Olsen is an absolute force to be reckoned with as the Scarlet Witch, making even the most out-of-character moments for Wanda feel completely in character. As much as one can complain about the issues with the script and the leaps of logic presented here, one can’t deny that the moments where Sam Raimi is allowed to go full Sam Raimi is what saves Multiverse of Madness from being in the absolute bottom of the barrel of the MCU!
10.) Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3 has more flaws than it does characters and subplots but it has more heart to it than most people are willing to admit. As everyone and their mother has pointed out about this movie, there’s just too much going on it. It feels the need to cram in every single idea it can think off that it has to defy logic, have previous events being retcon, and letting it’s characters do uncharacteristic things to make it all happen. However, most of the thing that worked well with the first two movies such as the wonderful action, breakneck pacing, great music and heard hitting emotional beats work very well. Not to mention, the themes surrounding forgiveness and finding the humanity in others is a wonderful message for a Spider-Man movie and helps make the whole trilogy come full circle. When watching Spider-Man 3 back-to-back with the first two movies, it does make for a rather satisfying experience. I’m not gonna act like this isn’t the weakest of the trilogy but it’s no where near the abomination that people claimed it was back in 2007.
Also, Bully Maguire FTW!
9.) The Evil Dead
The film that put Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell on the map as the forces of nature in Hollywood, The Evil Dead is the beginning of something truly special for the horror genre! Inventing his own camera tricks and cost-cutting filmmaking techniques, Raimi is able to create something truly unique on his first go-around despite all odds in financial shortcomings against. The gore effects are impressive, the flashy camerawork works like wonders, and Bruce Campell’s Ash Williams is an instant horror icon. However, there are still plenty of imperfections throughout when it comes to controlling the tone, balancing the gore and humor, and Campbell going through some growing pains as a leading man. The Evil Dead offers plenty of promise for a future beloved filmmaker and star but the best had yet to come for Raimi, Campbell, and the horror genre in general.
8.) Send Help
Can we point out how much of a miracle that a film like Send Help exists? In an age of sequels, reboots, remakes, and legacy-quels conquering the film landscape and sucking up the remaining creative energy that Hollywood might still have, films like these are becoming more diamonds in the rough in the film industry. Thankfully, someone at 20th Century Fox or Disney was wise enough to give a blank check to the godfather of horror and superhero movies in Sam Raimi, his first original horror film since 2009’s Drag Me To Hell! Send Help is yet another worthy addition to Raimi’s Hall of Fame of Horror! It’s able to capitalize on it’s simple yet effective premise thanks to it’s two charismatic leads, it’s incredibly visionary direction, unapologetically excessive gore, and a script that will keep audiences on their toes the whole way through. Even if it can be rough around the edges that it knocks it down to the middle-of-the-pack of Raimi’s filmography rather than up there with the likes of Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness, it’s still an absolute blast of a motion picture that is definitely worth seeing on the big screen.
7.) Drag Me To Hell
After spending nearly a full decade with Spider-Man, Raimi returned to the horror genre with 2009’s Drag Me To Hell! This is an old school scare fest about a bank clerk who has grand ambitions but gets cursed and terrorized by it in the form of demons. When it comes to horror and straight up NASTINESS, this is Raimi at his most brutal. There is nothing more delightful here than see characters constantly being torture for the benefit of the audience’s pleasure. We also see what is easily the most HAUNTING imagery in Raimi’s filmography, the kind of imagery that lived rent free in my head when I saw the commercials for this film when I was a kid and is still on my mind now. Not everyone will be fond with what Drag Me To Hell offers but if you have an appetite for unhinged horror, this will deliver you a complete meal.
6.) A Simple Plan
This is Raimi favorite for many people and for good reason. A Simple Plan makes for Raimi’s most dramatic work to date, feeling like a spiritual prequel to The Gift. Much like the latter film, this is a tale of betrayal, murder, and folks that are prone to awful mistakes in judging others. This makes for a very effect tale about the cruel nature of greed, aided by a terrific cats of Billy Bob Thornton, Bill Paxton, and Brent Briscoe, very well made production values, the ending is an all-timer, and has conflicts that feel among the most human in a Raimi film that does not involve a certain web swinger. However, this feels Raimi at his most restraint, stepping back from his usual style and camp to make room for a more somber and serious tone. It certainly works well enough but this almost feels like a Sam Raimi film specifically made for those that don’t like Sam Raimi. Even so, A Simple Plan is hard to criticize too much because everything that works ends up working spectacularly well that I can’t recommend it enough.
5.) Darkman
Before doing Spider-Man, Raimi’s very first comic book property he translated into film was no other than Darkman. Even all these year later, it still holds up as a gloriously camp dark superhero film, proving that Sam knew how to tackle superhero material 12 years before tackling the web swinger. This makes for a pretty tragic origin story of a man who had everything in his life but then lost it completely, leaving him nothing but complete vengeance! Liam Neeson is great as the title character, Larry Drake makes for a very memorable antagonist, and the score once again proves that Raimi + Elfman is a match made in heaven! It does have some clunky aspects surrounding the romance and some pretty poor blue screen work but this is still very impressive stuff! If you are a big fan of Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and haven’t check out Darkman yet, I highly recommend it!
4.) Evil Dead 2
Part sequel, part remake, all-time banger! Evil Dead II does want every great horror sequel does, it takes everything you loved about the original and makes them even better. This manages to be better, bloodier, and funnier than the original while also delivering plenty of new scares, gore, and physical comedy of it’s own. Raimi and Bruce Campbell feel completely at home in their roles, the direction is perfectly on point, the set design and make-ups affects could not be anymore perfect, and the frustratingly imperfected parts of the original are nearly gone here with a full budget to help Raimi execute the exact vision he has in his crazy little mind. There are still some dated parts here and there but Evil Dead II‘s influence on the horror genre can not be overlooked. However, there is still at least one more pure horror flick that I feel is absolute 100% unhinged Sam Raimi!
3.) Spider-Man (2002)
The one movie that kick started the modern era of comic book movies and was also the one movie that got me along with plenty of kids of my generation into Spider-Man. This was the first ever superhero movie I’ve ever watch and one of the first movies that I remember having incredibly fond memories of as a child. Even if I’m unable to take off the bluntly obvious nostalgia goggles (I never can!), Spider-Man (2002) is still an amazing film in it’s own right. The origin of Peter Parker turning into Spider-Man is perfectly told, Tobey Maguire is as every bit as likable and iconic as the title character as you can imagine, and Sam Raimi’s unique version of this world is felt perfectly through every single frame. And that’s not even talking about the insanely memorable supporting cast (J.K. Simmons is everything!), extremely quotable lines, phenomenal score, fist bumping action, and the light hearted tone that makes this movie super enjoyable to watch all of these years later. While I’m sure there are those that like to poke fun at the outdated elements of the movie such as the special effects, cheeseball dialogue, and the Power Ranger-looking Green Goblin, they all still feel right at home with what Raimi brings into his style of Spider-Man. Regardless if you feel like this movie has stood the test of time or not, you can’t deny that if it weren’t the success of this movie, there’s a good chance that this subgenre of movies as we know it today would be no where near big as it has been for the past two decades.
2.) Army of Darkness
That’s right! I have Army of Darkness this high on the list and above the first two Evil Dead films! This is the one where Raimi just swing for the fences and shatters them to pieces! From the unapologetically over-the-top tone to the many standout moments of blood and gore, to the perfection of visual storytelling to the masterfully controlled tone from epic scares to goofy comedy to Bruce Campbell never being better as a crazy chainsaw wielding badass, this is horror Sam Raimi at his absolute best! There’s no low budget that limited the first one or the sluggish recap of the second one, Army of Darkness goes all in from minute one and NEVER holds up, taking you on a wild ride the whole way through! While I’m sure some folks out there won’t agree, this is Sam Raimi horror at it’s absolute finest and makes for one of my favorite horror films of all time!
1.) Spider-Man 2
If you want an example of how to do the perfect superhero sequel, look no further than Spider-Man 2! This is the sequel that was able to take everything we love about the original, expand upon it, and trim any sort of fat that could possibly ruin the experience. This is a movie that perfectly dives into the inner turmoil of being a superhero and the life superheroes have outside of that. Just like with the best Spider-Man movies, it’s all about struggles to balance two different life styles at the exact same time. And how even though being Spider-Man can suck sometimes, it’s something that Peter has to do because it’s just who he is and what his responsibility consists of. Throw in some truly fantastic action, with the main stand out being the spectacular train sequence, arguably the best fight in any superhero movie, a tremendous villain in Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock, character arcs that come full circle, and one of the most satisfying endings in any movie, you get an absolute cinematic masterpiece that is Spider-Man 2! If you are someone that loves Spider-Man, superhero movies and especially Sam Raimi, I have no idea how you couldn’t at least like this movie. When it comes to every film that Sam Raimi has made, there has yet to be a movie that comes even remotely close to topping Spider-Man 2!
Today is Spider-Man Day! Because of that, let’s go over my top 10 list of the best Spider-Man games that have been made so far!
Video games that are based off of a successful IP or franchise license tends to get a bad rep! They tend to always feels like they are just a cheap cash grab and something that a gaming studio can rushed out in a hurry without much effort or work put into it. 2023 in general has had a handful of stinkers in that department. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was a trainwreck beyond measures, Avatar: Quest for Balance felt like a game thatgot locked away in a steel vault for the past 15 years and somehow found it’s way onto modern consoles, and I defy ANYONE to explain to me how in the living hell did Skull Island: Rise of Kong become an actual thing that exists in the year of 2023 (I literally get sick whenever I look at King Kong in that game!) However, when it comes to Spider-Man, I believe this is one of the few exceptions of a beloved IP having a handful of really solid games.
Whether it’s self-contain, movie tie-in, or part of it’s own successful medium, there are plenty of likeable games with Spidey to well…..actually like. Yes, there are plenty of stinkers out there as well but there’s plenty of winners that deserve it’s own respect. What are those winners you may ask? Well, stick around and I will tell you all! Here’s my list of the top 10 best Spider-Man games to date!
10.) Spider-Man: Edge of Time
Edge of Time tends to get a bad rep and I would be lying if I didn’t see why. The gameplay itself can get quite repetitive, it has it’s fair share of bugs and glitches, and it certainly pails in comparison to it’s predecessor that is Shattered Dimensions. However, if you are someone that plays a Spider-Man game for it’s story and cutscenes, Edge of Time is certainly one of the better Spider-Man games to pick up.
The storyline was written by no other than acclaimed Spider-Man comics writer, Peter David, and creates a really compelling story involving multiple Spider-Men that try to go back through time to save Peter Parker’s life. It focuses strictly on Peter’s original Spider-Man and his 2099 counterpart, Miguel O’Hara. It a race against time to save the future from destruction. That’s also without mention the stellar voice cast with fan favorites Christopher Daniel Barnes and Josh Keaton returning again to reprise their roles along with other notable talents such as Val Kilmer and Katee Sackhoff.
While the gameplay itself is just serviceable at best and features some incredibly frustrating boss fights, it’s the strong writing and voice work that helps push the whole game through and makes Edge of Time stand out greatly on it’s own. But at the same time, the gameplay is what matters first and foremost to a video game. Because of that, I can’t justify putting this game any higher on the list.
9.) Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
Web of Shadows was a massive hit when it came out in 2008 and is considered to be a fan favorite among the Spider-Man games. It delivers a grand story about Venom infecting New York City with the symbiote along with gameplay and direction that’s unlike any Spidey game that’s ever been released.
This is basically like a much better version of Spider-Man 3, both movie and game! It looks nicer, provides more solid web-swinging, the combat is improved, and it’s able to showcase a darker experience that explores the morality of donning the Symbiote suit. It’s also cool to have the player make their own narrative choices to advance in the story that includes multiple different endings, which includes awesome guest appearances from other Marvel characters such as Moon Knight, Luke Cage, and Wolverine. Just shame that it’s not as polished as other Spider-Man games with plenty of bugs and glitches throughout along with a really crappy camera.
If this game ever received a remaster that’s able to fix the glaring flaws I just mentioned, this could have been even higher on the list. Even so, Web of Shadows is definitely a game worth crediting for it’s ambition and offering plenty of different elements to the story and gameplay. It’s far from perfect but it’s also far from being a dud either.
8.) Spider-Man (2002)
The first movie tie-in of the web swinger managed to debunk the narrative that all movie games have to suck. It acted as a faithful adaption of the hit 2002 film while also being able to expand upon it by throwing in more villains from Spidey’s rose gallery into the picture…or game. Even though this was basically the very first try at doing a Spidey movie game, you wouldn’t notice that when playing through Spider-Man (2002).
This acts as a very mission based game, going from one main bad guy to another, showcasing the importance of Peter Parker’s very first step into becoming Spider-Man. The combat and controls work very well, with plenty of combos to achieve and bonus moves to unlock to make the experience all the more fun. It’s also pretty cool that they were able to get Tobey Maguire to reprise his role doing these games. And we also can’t forget the special added bonus that is Bruce Campbell as the narrator, A.K.A. the greatest narrator in video game history! It’s only a shame that the game lacks a proper open world for Spidey to explore in, especially doing the missions were you are able to swing through the skies of the cities but never the roads.
Despite it’s faults, Spider-Man (2002) was able to get what it needed to get right on it’s first try. By acting as a faithful adaption of the feature film it’s based on along with providing an neat little expansion of it, it was able to set up the ground work quite well for future Spidey games.
7.) Spider-Man (2000)
Right before the movie game of Spider-Man (2002), there was Spider-Man (2000) developed by Neversoft. If you want a game that is able to embrace the light-hearted and “Saturday Morning cartoon” level of nature of Spider-Man, you get all of that and more with Spider-Man (2000).
It’s bright, colorful, full of energy, and feels like a great tribute to not only Spider-Man but the whole Marvel universe as a whole. From the Baxter Building appearing to a cameo from the Punisher himself to even narration from the late great Stan Lee, this is a true Spider-Man game made by fans for fans. Gameplay incorporates all of Spidey’s powers in a nice, organic way, it’s filled with comic book Easter eggs and cool nods to other Spider-Man medium, and it even features voice actors from Spider-Man cartoons of the era (Spider-Man: The Animated Series and Spider-Man Unlimited).
This Spider-Man game does have its fair share of flaws regarding the physics and some wonky elements thrown in but there’s so much fun and charm to be had with Spider-Man (2000) that makes it all the more forgivable. This just goes to show you how far we come with superhero and licensed games.
6.) Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Here’s the game that basically did Into the Spider-Verse and No Way Home before anyone of those movies did. This is a game that see multiple different Spider-Man from multiple different universe. This includes Ultimate Spider-Man, Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man Noir, and Spider-Man 2099. If Shattered Dimensions proves anything, it’s that the more Spider-Men, the merrier.
The different styles of gameplay with the multiple different Spider-Men makes the game all the more enjoyable with plenty of variety to be found here. A great example of this is with Noir being strictly stealth while 2099 has high-tech gadgets. You also got a handful of awesome boss fights, the excellent voice cast filled with familiar old actors returning and welcome new additions, and all versions of Spider-Man that is presented throughout the game getting their time to shine.
Even if the story itself pales in comparison to Edge of Time, it’s the gameplay, variety, and multiple different versions of Spider-Man to play that makes Shattered Dimensions really shine among the best of the Spider-Man games. If you are a fan of the recent Spider-Man films involving the multiverse or Spider-Verse, you should definitely check this one out.
5.) Ultimate Spider-Man
After delivering what was, at the time, the king of Spider-Man games with Spider-Man 2, Treyarch was able to follow that up with yet another great Spider-Man game just one year later with 2005’s Ultimate Spider-Man. Based off the rebooted comic series of the same name, this sees the relationship of Peter Parker and Eddie Brock at it’s most personal as the two were once great best friends.
Swinging around the city as Spider-Man is as great as ever, the combat is able to pull off the right amount of challenge and difficulty without being completely unfair, and the way the story is told through the panels of a comic books is incredibly unique. And of course, there’s the addition of Venom as an actual playable character that helps makes the game stand out as one of the very best Spidey games. We’re forced to “feed” on enemies and innocent citizens alike to keep Venom alive as he launches himself from building to building using his tentacles. To top it all off, there’s a surprise cameo and boss battle with Wolverine.
Even with it’s admittedly dated graphics and voice work, there’s still a lot to love about Ultimate Spider-Man. The gameplay and story is some of the very best in all of the games and the addition of Venom is just the perfect icing on the cake. This game truly feels like well. the Ultimate Spider-Man game (Pun entirely intended!).
4.) Spider-Man 2 (2004)
If you wanna talk about a movie game that’s able to meet the quality of the feature film it’s based on, look no further than Spider-Man 2. While the first movie game was pretty good, this one was able to blow that game, along with just about every major superhero or licensed game up until 2004, out of the water.
You have controls that feel smoother, combat that is more inventive, inclusion of other main villains not from the movies that is more organic, web swinging that is more satisfying, and even an actual open world for Spider-Man to play around in this time. And even more amusing quips from Bruce Campbell and Tobey Maguire than ever before. There’s a not a single moment from this game that doesn’t feel thrilling or engaging, hitting all the right notes it needs to for a proper video game.
I could nitpick certain aspects of the side missions and story (Like why does Doc Ock blame Spider-Man for his wife’s death? There’s like no reason for him to do so!) but Spider-Man 2 just gets it all right. Much like the movie it’s based on, it takes everything that didn’t work about the original and not only improves it but expands upon it in very satisfying ways. Even if it’s no longer the best Spider-Man game anymore, it might just be the most important one made.
3.) Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
While I don’t think Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is quite as good as the other Insomniac Spider-Man games, it still is able to succeed on it’s own merits by being an fun and compelling adventure for it’s own title character, proving he is more than worthy of being his own Spider-Man.
Everything that worked tremendously well in the first game still works very well here. The combat is still fun and fluid, the web swinging is at it’s absolute best here, the narrative remains engaging, it looks gorgeous, the soundtrack is unique, and Miles is just an awesome character that is very easy to get behind. I do hope that the Insomniac Spider-Man‘s series continues to add multiple playable characters to an expanding roster, perhaps having Spider-Gwen join in on the fun in the future. If they can keep finding ways to make the gameplay fun and unique while containing to tell engaging tales of not just Peter Parker but other Spider-men, women, and maybe even animals, then I can see this series of games having plenty of staying power.
Nevertheless, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a great game and another worthy addition to what is perhaps the best Spider-Man medium out there. Similar to Batman: Arkham Origins, this is a game that I often visit upon Christmas time because it just puts you in that holiday spirit!
2.) Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018)
Marvel’s Spider-Man is more than deserving of being as loved and celebrated as it was back in 2018. It still stands strongly as the best Spider-Man game to date and arguably the best licensed superhero game out there that doesn’t involve Batman. It’s able to take the kind of Spider-Man gameplay that has been a template from past Spider-Man games while modifying and perfecting it in every way, giving you the most perfect feeling Spidey experience you can possibly imagine. While I definitely could have done without the MJ/Miles sections, almost everything else is done so well that it doesn’t even come close to bringing down the rest of the game.
The web swinging is fun, the combat is a blast, the story is engaging, the characters are well-defined and characterized, the sound is stellar, and it’s able to feel like a complete Spider-Man package in a way that no other Spider-Man game has yet. It’s very rare for a game to come out that feels like it gives you your complete money’s worth, one that you can just pick up and play almost instantly and overall, just puts you in a good mood every time you play it. Marvel’s Spider-Man is able to do all of that and even more.
I will never forget the fond memories and enjoyment I was able to gain from Marvel’s Spider-Man. Insomniac Games crafted a really special game that is not just one of my favorite Spider-Man games but one of the most satisfying games I’ve ever played. Go Spidey go!
1.) Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is as every bit as good as you were expecting and hoping for it to be. This is Insomniac Games reaching a new level of peak! The story is more engaging and worth following, the gameplay is as polished and perfect as ever, the combat and web swinging has never been more satisfying, the graphics have never been more of a treat to the eyes, the soundtrack is a new definition of peak, and the voice work is some of the best performed in any video game.
What makes things even more exciting is that there are still plenty of doors left to open for this series. By the time the game concludes and the loose ends are established, you still get a sense of interest to see where this all goes from here. There’s still plenty of different storylines to tell and new characters to play as that can help expand the Insomniac-verse of Spider-Man even further.
Whether it’s the very best superhero game of all time is still up for debate (My heart still leans towards Batman: Arkham City!) but no doubt, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will satisfy fans that have been waiting five years with eagerness to see the follow-up to the 2018 hit. If anything, this game basically confirms that Insomniac Games is my favorite gaming company working to date. With them finally reaching their Magnum Opus status, they have gain my complete trust for what they do in the future! I’m eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this franchise!
Today is National Spider-Man Day! Because of that, we now officially have 11 Spider-Man shows to date. Considering the excessive amount of films starting the beloved web swinger, it makes all the sense in the world to have a near equal amount of shows to go along with that. Even though history with each show can be seen as quite complicated, they are nevertheless all fascinating to talk about.
Because of all this and more, it’s time to rank each series involving Spider-Man at the forefront from worst to best! Time to stop wasting anymore time and web swing right in!
11.) Ultimate Spider-Man
The timing of Ultimate Spider-Man could not have been much worse. It was made right after the most beloved Spider-Man show to date in The Spectacular Spider-Man saw an abrupt end due to Disney buying Marvel and wanting to have a Spider-Man show of their own, aiming for a more lighthearted and kid-friendly tone attached to it. Despite the show lasting for four seasons and gaining over 100 episodes, this is seen as an absolute stinker to this very day. Ultimate Spider-Man abandons the traditional core themes that Spider-Man is always known for in favor of nonstop slapstick comedy, obnoxious four wall breaking, obvious merchandise placement, and having a Peter Parker that feels more in line with Deadpool than Spider-Man. Oh, and did I mention it has little to nothing to do with the Ultimate Spider-Man comics despite the title. The fact that Spectacular Spider-Man was cancelled in favor of this is the real salt on the wound. When taking all of those elements into affect, it easy to see just why this ranks as my least favorite Spider-Man show to date.
10.) Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends(2021)
Despite what the title may suggest, this has little in common with the Spider-Man series of the same name that released back in the 1980s. Instead of Ice-Man and Firestar, we see Peter Parker teaming up with Gwen Stacy (known as Ghost-Spider here) and Miles Morales (known as……Spin (?!) here) in their grade school kid incarnations. On one hand, this show does it’s job at offering Spidey tales for a clearly VERY young demographic. On the other hand, there is almost NOTHING to recommend her to any Spider-Man that is NOT part of the obvious pre-school targeted audience. It’s about as filler, substance free and “put something in the background to distract the kids” as they come. It may not be quite my least favorite Spidey show or the one I have the most gripes with but I can think of a Spidey show I would want to rewatch less than Spidey and His Amazing Friends (2021).
9.) Spider-Man (2017)
Disney’s 2nd attempt at making a Spider-Man cartoon is a mild improvement over Ultimate but still no where near good enough to do it’s title character justice. This does have the ingredients of a back-to-basics approach for Peter Parker, with a more emphasis on his personal life and connections to his friends/allies and having significant less pointless dumb down humor for the most brainless children. However, it tries to do justice to so many different storylines throughout Peter’s history that it’s unable to do almost any of them justice. It’s like the writers couldn’t make up their mind on what specific stories they wanted to tackle that they just threw whatever stories at the wall to see what sticks. Also, it’s quite bizarre to have Miles Morales in this version be of similar age to Peter Parker. And don’t get me started on it’s cheap as hell animation. It has solid voice acting and definitely has more ambition than the Spider-Man shows listed before but Marvel’s Spider-Man (2017) still showed Disney failing to crack the code on making a solid Spidey tale that works.
8.) Spider-Man (1967)/7.)Spider-Man (1981)
The two very first attempts at creating a stand-alone Spider-Man show more or less feel like perfect counterparts for one another. Both shows has the exact same titles, both shows are really hard to tell apart from the other, and both shows are remember more for their memes and iconic theme songs than they are of the actual quality and content in either show. These two shows do deserve a free pass for coming out during a time where Spider-Man was less known to the general public and it was harder than ever to make a successful cartoon due to it’s low budget. However, I can never feel the desire to ever go back and rewatch these shows in any way due to aging as well as a multiple decades supply of Spider-Milk. I still put these two shows this far on the list due to it’s undeniable impact on classic Spider-Man themes songs and meme culture.
6.) Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends (1981)
When it comes to classic Spider-Man cartoons of the late 1960s to early 1980s, this is the one that has aged the best and most consistent in quality. Here, we see Spider-Man informing his own superhero team for the first time ever, pairing him with heroes like Iceman and Firestar from the X-Men (for……some reason). It also has that traditional monster-of-the-week that became a stable for cartoons such as this, while fully utilizing Marvel villains normally not associated with Spider-Man but still finding ways to make it work. Stan Lee’s fingerprints is all over this show and it certainly did make for the better. It may not be a show that will appeal to the last few generations of Spider-Man fans, but Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends does at least offer a unique Saturday morning cartoon vibe that kids who grew up in that era can look very fondly upon, while being a nice blast for the past for those who miss their Saturday morning cartoons feeling very episodic with not much homework attached to it.
5.) Spider-Man: Unlimited
Spider-Man: Unlimited has to have the most bizarre concept of any Spider-Man show thus far. We see a Spider-Man that is fighting not for NYC but to free an alternate Earth from an evil ruler known as the High Evolutionary. This is clear an attempt to ape the success of Batman Beyond, with a much darker tone and a focus on a different iteration of Spider-Man. However, it never could keep the consistency that it’s 1994 predecessor have nor does it fully utilize Spider-Man 2099 very well. Thankfully, this version of Spider-Man did get his cameo in Across the Spider-Verse, opening up the doors for potential future stories with Miguel O’hara now that other Spider-folks that don’t have Peter Parker’s name attached to it can draw an audience. Unlimited may not be the winner it needed to be at the time it came out but it’s certainly one of the most unique Spider-Man shows released, which makes it worth giving at least one watch.
4.) Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Believe it or not, MTV once took their shot at making a Spider-Man show back in 2003. Set in an alternate timeline after Sam Raimi’s first Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series offers a new, distinct, and downright mature take on the character, which led to many fans feel quite divided on the show. Similar to the newer released Spider-Man show, it has it’s own original animated art style, offers it’s own spin to the film franchise it’s based on, and makes bold choices to it’s cast of characters that may be off putting to certain people. Not to mention, that complete downer of an ending is still an all-timer! While there are certainly aspects that has aged poorly (particularly the 3D animation), Spider-Man: The New Animated Series deserves credits for being able to tell more adult-oriented stories of Peter Parker and his struggles to adapting to his college life as Spider-Man without sacrificing the gravitas of the character. Also, Neil Patrick Harris is pretty good here. Just a shame it didn’t get the ratings MTV wanted because I would have been curious to see how this version of Spider-Man went forward in the future.
3.) Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
It might’ve took three times (four if you count the PBS-friendly Spidey And His Amazing Friends) but Disney has finally been able to crack the code on how to make a solid Spider-Man cartoon. Blending the traditional comic book panel traits of the character’s well-known origin while incorporating new distinct traits of it’s own, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is able to find the right balance of exploring the thrills of being Spider-Man and the chills of being Peter Parker, something which The Ultimate Spider-Man and Spider-Man (2017) failed to do. The newer cast of characters the show chooses to explore are (mostly) intriguing, it’s callbacks and references all feel earned, the theme song is dope as hell, and it’s able to use it’s alternate timeline and multiverse concept to not just reuse plot assets of the MCU or recurring fan favorite characters but also show how Peter’s life would’ve been different in the MCU if things play out a different way and he made all new friends and allies in the process. There are some strange creative decisions I’m not a fan of and the animation style won’t be to everyone’s taste but for the most part, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a winner and is the best Spidey show for the past 15+ years. I’m definitely intrigued to see Season 2 and 3!
2.) Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994)
Here’s the one Spidey cartoon that was so important at introduction Spider-Man to the mainstream media and pop culture entertainment. Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994) stands proudly alongside the likes of Batman: The Animated Series and X-Men: The Animated Series as being classic 1990s superhero cartoons that help introduce iconic superheroes to new generations and beyond. Even though it’s targeted towards children, the core themes and characters that make Spider-Man so special is presented throughout the entire series. Whether it involves it’s solid storytelling, impactful character moments, or for hilarious memes, every Spider-Man fan of old and now should be well aware of this show’s existence. Let’s also not forget it’s killer theme song, faithful adaptions of the characters, and even go as far to have Madame Web at the end voiced by Stan Lee’s wife. You can definitely argue that it’s animation has aged to some degree and doesn’t have the most consistent pacing but that doesn’t change the fact that Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994) is a true must see for any kind of Spider-Man fan.
1.) The Spectacular Spider-Man
The Spectacular Spider-Man is widely regarded by fans as one of the best, if not the best Spider-Man show that has ever been made and for PLENTY of good reasons! It’s a series that has enormous respects towards the character of Peter Parker and understands perfectly why Spider-Man is one of the most iconic and relatable superheroes in history. It’s able to greatly showcased these relatable aspects of Peter in his adventures as Spider-Man along with not being afraid to explore mature themes such as stress, relationships, balancing school and work, and even dark/sensitive topics such as gambling and drug addiction. Despite being targeted towards children, it’s able to deliver a quality superhero show that anyone of any age can understand or relate to without needing to dumb everything down. When it comes to the televisions show and streaming series involving our beloved web swinger thus far, there is not one series that gets as much right and finds the right balance for everything than The Spectacular Spider-Man! Filled with fantastic storytelling and character development along with some dope as hell action sequences, The Spectacular Spider-Man is an near perfect adaption of Spider-Man and one that is a must watch for any fan of the character!
Since I felt putting all 90 Marvel movies was a bit too much for one list, I decided to make a second post of it! That way, there’s most stability and this specific ranking doesn’t feel too clutter for one piece. My previous one was rankings from #90 to #46. This list will consist of #45 to #1!
No more time and filler! Let’s finish this MASSIVE movie ranking!
Adam's Blog 